


Beyond this Life

by VividestList



Series: Ghost Hunt AU [1]
Category: Ghost Hunt, Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: BAMF Yuuri, Ghost Hunt AU, Horror, I don't totally know where I'm going with this, I'll call him 'Yura' at most, I'm not calling Yuri 'Yurio', M/M, Paranormal Investigator!Viktor, Psychic!Phichit, Psychic!Yuri, This is my first story and I absolutely do not know how to tag, flimsy research at best, i guess, multiple POVs, psychic!yuuri
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-26 05:28:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 47,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13229019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VividestList/pseuds/VividestList
Summary: Viktor Nikiforov was well known for two things. The first was as one of the top paranormal researchers in the world, having written many books and teaching several lectures. The first thing fell into the second, as anyone who heard the name recalled how he had demonstrated his powerful pk abilities and contributed to the research and discoveries of an otherwise undiscovered area of parapsychology. It was through his various demonstrations that pk-st was unveiled.He was a force to be reckoned with in the field of parapsychology and had solved several cases involving paranormal phenomenon through research and collaborations with other specialists like himself, or in some cases, even alone.It was those reasons that lead Viktor to believe that his newest, high profile case would prove to be as easy as the others. He didn't expect the events that would occur in the days to come.Or a Ghost Hunt au where Viktor is a paranormal investigator, Yuuri can talk to dead people, and Yuri is sick of this shit.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first story on here and I was really nervous about posting it because... I mean... It's a ghost hunting au? You see demon hunting, vampire hunting, but ghost hunting? Sounds a little ridiculous XD. This is heavily inspired by both the ghost hunt manga and anime that is old, but absolutely amazing. Anyway, I hope you like it! 
> 
> **Don't need to have watched Ghost Hunt or to know much about parapsychology to understand**
> 
> ALSO THIS ISN'T A ONESHOT BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO CHANGE THE THING

Viktor sat at a large conference table alongside Yuri, who was glaring at the other guests and occasionally muttering about how he could ‘solve this case himself.’ 

The room was bare, with nothing decorating the moss green walls and nothing occupying the large expanse of the room other than the table and those seated around it. 

The lack of decoration was a little odd, especially in a home of this size. He would have expected at least the halls leading to the room to have a painting or two, but they were void of that as well; it made the large house seem almost deserted. He hummed at the curiosity, but didn't dwell on it too much as he checked his watch for the time. 

A few minutes to go, he thought to himself.

Yuri huffed loudly beside him and pulled out his phone, obviously getting impatient. 

Viktor rolled his eyes. They hadn't arrived too far off from the time they were supposed to.

The two had only gotten there a few minutes ago to find the room full of paranormal big shots, some looking like they've been there for an hour or more, while others looked like they had just gotten there, too, judging from the way the were looking at everything curiously. 

Seated and waiting for the owner of the impressive estate were Jean-Jacques Leroy, or JJ, creator and star of a ghost hunting show that was popular in North America, as well as his partner, Isabella, and cameraman, Emil. 

Next to him were an older woman and her assistant; the woman was a professor at some university or another- Viktor couldn’t be bothered to remember- but he had heard of her: she had taught several lectures on paranormal activity, with much of it focusing on psychometry and mediums.

The last two looked more out of place than even Yuri, but were a well-known and controversial topic within the community: Psychic duo Yuuri Katsuki and Phichit Chulanont. 

They both looked much too young to be among paranormal celebrities, and even Yuri was expressing his doubts over their credibility beside him, reading out their accomplished feats from his phone, which was odd in and of itself, as Yuri never took so much interest in another person.

Every now and then, beside him he would whisper things like ‘do you think he actually,’ to the point that Viktor began to ignore him and watched the two from the corner of his eye.

The two were well known as TV psychics, although they seemed to prefer to keep to themselves instead of stepping too far into the community and demonstrating their skills. Even Viktor had his doubts. Sure, everyone had seen Yuuri channel the spirit of a wronged 18th century woman, or cure an odd case of scarlet fever in a child who lived in a house where the family had died from an outbreak, but how much of that was even real? 

As for Phichit, everything he spontaneously knew about a person, dead or alive, could have easily been researched before filming and sometimes there weren't any living relatives or friends to confirm any of his claims.

Viktor decided he would take this chance to investigate them as well. 

Finally, a woman stepped into the room, dressed in an expensive looking suit, and stood at the head of their table. She had a stern face that had aged to make her look as if it wasn't only her vast years that made her that way. She held her head high and walked with a certain grace that confirmed that she was of some kind of high class. Old money, Viktor thought was probably it. Her hair was in a tight bun, and she wasted no time in diving into the situation.

“Good afternoon. I'm sure you have all read the case file, but to refresh your memory, I have called you all here based on your notoriety and abilities to investigate and stop the odd occurrences that have been happening around the estate. 

“Whoever successfully exorcises the spirit that resides here can expect a substantial payment. To start you off, I’d like to address the most concerning happenings: the sitting room on the first floor will become very cold, and one employee had gone in to find that the furniture was piled on top of each other, and all the paintings in the room were flipped. 

“Employees who had been housed here would also talk about scratching noises, growling noises, and pounding at night. 

“Prior to your arrival, an employee had had a dream of being murdered and cut up and awoke to three slashes across her chest. It was then that we sent everyone away; however, a young man who had broken in with his friends ended up murdering all of them, and the object he used was never recovered, and neither were the bodies.” She paused and scanned the room before continuing. 

“These are the occurrences of our household only. Prior to that, the previous owner of the house had shot himself, leaving only a sentence that read ‘Can't get away; they'll get you, too.’ To date, there have been 6 deaths in this house: the product of suicide and murder. 

“I want to warn you that this is not a place for the faint of heart. For your own safety, please think hard about your choice to investigate and don't wander out at night. A few of the servants volunteered to return to make sure you were all comfortable, but will leave as soon as the sun sets, so do not expect anything after then. I wish you luck,” she said before she left the room, the sound of her heels following her out. 

Naturally, the silence was killed by JJ. 

“No problem, we aren't backing out, right guys?!” He called to his team, who nodded hesitantly. 

“What are you gonna do, film them to death, dumbass?” Yuri called back, but was promptly ignored as the three left the room. The boy huffed and gave a suspicious look to the remaining two groups.

The two women whispered to one another, then stood and left as well.

“I think we should call Leo and Guang-Hong, Phich. The energy and past of this house is too negative. I want to be on the safe side in case something happens,” he heard Yuuri tell Phichit. 

They stood, and Phichit got out his phone and stepped out of the room, already holding it to his ear. Yuuri was about to leave, when he felt Viktor's eyes on him. 

Viktor didn't mean to stare, he’d been much more discreet earlier, but when Yuuri stood, Viktor had noticed his clothing: the man wore a traditionally styled kimono that was quite the sight to see on his slim form, along with his rather lovely, if not delicate face. All in all, the man looked enchanting. 

The cameras did him absolutely no justice, he thought to himself.

Yuuri smiled politely and made his way over to them.

“Mr. Nikiforov, it's an honor to be working a case with someone as highly regarded as yourself. My name is Yuuri Katsuki and I look forward to seeing you in action,” he introduced himself with a small bow.

“The pleasure is all mine. Your abilities have been of quite some interest to me and I am rather excited to see them,” he said before Yuri shoved him out of the way, sending him stumbling into the table. 

“What? No cameras this time?” Yuuri stood, shocked for a few seconds before he gave a nervous laugh. 

“Ah… no. I'm afraid I didn't tell Celestino I was taking this case. Phichit and I knew he would have insisted on a whole camera crew and I didn't want to inconvenience anybody or make them uncomfortable,” he said, giving a shy smile. “Actually, Celestino- I'm sorry- our producer, thinks Phichit and I are vacationing in my hometown.” 

Yuri scoffed. “So, what, don't want to let him know you're getting money on the side? Does he take a cut or something?” 

“No, that's not it. Actually, Phichit and I had been in Japan when Ms. Baranovskaya called us. I wouldn't have taken the job, as I was visiting an old friend who meant quite a lot to me, but she sounded… well she sounded like she really needed our help, so we decided to come out,” he explained. Yuri continued to give him a suspicious look, but seemed to accept his story.

It was then that Phichit stepped back into the room.

“Yuuri, Leo and Guang-Hong said they'd be here tomorrow. They said that they're bringing Otabek, too. For now, do you want to do a walk through?” He asked, eyes shifting between Yuuri and Yuri, curiously. 

“Yes, that sounds like a good idea. I can at least see if I can sense anything,” he turned to Viktor and Yuri. “If you'll excuse me,” he said before he moved towards the door.

“I'm coming too!” Yuri shouted, running out into the hall with them.

“Wait! Yura, the equipment!” Viktor called, taking a step forward as Yuri ran out.

The door slammed shut and Viktor let out a huff. He was unloading everything himself, it seemed.

***

Yuri walked alongside the two boys as they travelled from room to room. 

Yuuri had already introduced him to Phichit and explained to him that Leo, Guang-Hong, and Otabek were their friends. Leo was an exorcist, despite his young age, and Guang-Hong practiced some sort of psychic technique called onmyodo. Otabek apparently had no abilities, but was very thorough in his research and was usually the muscle in case something happened. Yuri didn't know what that meant, but he didn't bother to ask about that.

He said that they needed them because aside from his ability to see and talk to spirits and some binding and warding magic, he couldn't really get rid of any spirits that didn't want to leave, and he thought they might encounter some here.

“I’ve never seen them on the show, though. Do they work with you a lot?” Yuri asked, regarding Yuuri with a suspicious look.

“Well, yes, but they’re camera shy, and Leo actually shouldn’t be doing exorcisms so freely, so he prefers if there’s no evidence. Also, Celestino decided that the audiences shouldn't know about Otabek, since he does most of the research, they might think that Phichit and I don’t actually have any abilities,” Yuuri clarified, further confusing Yuri.

“Why can’t he do exorcisms when he wants? Also, what do you need that Otabek guy for?” 

“Well, in order to do an exorcism, Leo actually needs permission from the church, but for them to allow him they need quite a bit of evidence, and sometimes we don't have that much time. Doing it without permission could get him excommunicated,” Phichit filled in this time. 

Yuuri nodded along.

“And that’s bad?” Yuri asked, never having been too religious himself.

“Very bad,” Phichit said, opening a door to find a restroom. He nodded his head at Yuuri, causing the man to shake his head and laugh. 

“As for Otabek, he’s very adept. We need him for things that we can't see, like floor plans, and the house’s full history. Often, we can only see the more tragic, or emotional events of a home, but that won’t tell us when a haunting started, the full name of a person, or something else we're missing. Also, if there's nothing Phichit can touch that belonged to the spirit currently residing, we’re usually stuck.”

Yuri hummed in understanding and looked around. 

They’d already made it a good ways into the house, having passed from the conference rooms, through the kitchen, dining room, a few other rooms, and the restroom Phichit tried to get Yuuri to walkthrough.

“Have you sensed anything yet?” He asked, a little bored at the lack of activity.

“When we first came in… I felt a sort of foreboding, but now… it's odd. There's something here, but it feels like it's trying to hide from me,” he said as they all stepped into the sitting room. 

“Maybe after it gets a little more used to us being here it'll reveal itse-” Yuuri fell to his knees, a hand over his mouth and another over his stomach. 

“Yuuri!” Phichit cried, falling to his side. “Hey, are you okay?! What's wrong?” 

“So much blood. It smells so strong. Blood and decay,” he said, trembling, eyes staring into the wooden floor. Yuri took a small step back, looking around the room, but not finding a single trace of what would have made Yuuri react like that. 

The room was almost spotless, only containing two couches, a few paintings, a coffee table, and an old grandfather clock in the corner. His attention was drawn back to Yuuri when he spoke again, a slight quake in his voice.

“Phichit, Yuri, never come into this room alone. This room- there's so much negative energy and malicious intent. This is the center of it all. I don't know what happened here, but this is where it started.”

Yuri stared on in confusion as Yuuri tried to recollect himself, although his face looked clearly strained. Sure, he'd seen him on his show when he would freeze as he sensed something, maybe even collapse, but he looked downright sick. He'd gone paler, if not a little green, and his eyes looked tired.

“A-are you okay?” 

Yuuri smiled weakly. “Don't worry, Yuri. I just happen to be more sensitive when it comes to these things and I get a little overwhelmed. I'll be fine,” he responded with a small smile as Phichit helped him to the door. 

Yuri turned to follow them out, when a distant scream pulled him away from the current scene and into a hazy, dream-like place.

***

Yuuri was in the center of the room, alone, the furniture was thrown aside, with the exception of the old clock that remained in the corner. He was mumbling some chant, and there was something seeping from the center of the room until the floor crumbled inward. Yuuri didn't stop his chanting, in fact, he became a little louder. 

Yuri flinched when an arm reached out of the gaping hole in the room. Then another. Then another, and up with them came corpses. 

Suddenly, Yuri was overwhelmed by a scent that could have only been what Yuuri had described earlier as blood and decay. It made his stomach lurch as the scene carried on, and he found himself unable to wake up.

The bodies dragged themselves towards Yuuri, who didn't move or run, but switched to a prayer. 

Yuri tried to shout for him to get out, but no sound came out. There was a loud pounding against the walls and the vases and windows in the room shattered just as the grandfather clock in the corner gave three loud chimes. 

Yuuri stopped, taking a shaky step backwards, then another until he was at the door, but it wouldn't open. 

Yuri couldn't move or do a single thing as shadows peeled off the walls and wrapped themselves around Yuuri just as he let out that terrified cry. Voices could be heard outside the room calling for him.

The shadows plastered themselves over his mouth and the corpses grabbed him by his ankles and pulled him back into the hole. The banging continued throughout, until the floor repaired itself, casing Yuuri in, and Viktor burst into the room with Phichit and people Yuri didn't recognize behind them. 

Not a thing looked out of place when they stepped in, and Yuuri couldn't be seen or heard.

***

Yuri was brought back to reality by the clock in the corner chiming. He flinched and looked up to find Yuuri and Phichit waiting for him. 

“Yuri? Come on, I don't want you alone in here,” Yuuri said, waiting by the door, safe and sound. His brow furrowed, and he stepped towards Yuri. 

“Are you alright? You're shaking.” 

“I'm fine. It just got cold in here like the old lady said it would,” he mumbled, leaving the room. 

Phichit snorted. “‘Old lady.’ I bet she'd kill you herself if she heard you say that. She does look pretty old, though. What do you think, Yuuri? She must be at least early hundreds,” he said nudging the Japanese man who shook his head disapprovingly. 

“We are guests in her home. You should show a little more respect,” he chastised.

“Yeah, her murder horror home. We wouldn't be invited here, ever if this place weren't messed up.” 

Yuri tuned them out, unable to get what he just saw out of his head. Every time he saw Yuuri's face, it was replaced by flashes of his fearful expression as he was dragged down. He felt horrible and guilty. He couldn't save him. He just watched as he was dragged away. Why would he see something like that? 

He by no means hated Yuuri, he actually thought he was kind of cool, although he would never admit that to anyone, especially not Vikor. The man would tease him endlessly. Anyway, what he saw was definitely not something he wished upon Yuuri, or even that dumbass, JJ. The whole thing just made him uncomfortable.

“I'm… going to go help the old man with the equipment. Wouldn't want him to break a hip or something,” he said, awkwardly, turning to walk away. 

“We'll walk you. I don't think you should be alone in here,” Yuuri said, walking after him.

“I'm not a kid! I can go to him on my own!” He yelled back, startling him. 

“O-okay, but can you remember something for me?” Yuri hesitated, but nodded. “Okay, it's a warding spell. It's called the 9 cuts and it'll keep away spirits, but after you use it, I want you to run the other way. I want you to find me, Viktor, Phichit, or any of our other friends that are coming tomorrow. You won't be strong enough to subdue them, maybe just stun them.” Yuuri held out two fingers and made a horizontal swipe.

“Horizontal first. Move your arm like this and say ‘rin.’ Next, you'll have to move vertically, up to down, and say ‘Pyo.’ Next, horizontal again, then vertical and I'm sure you understand the pattern. You need to push out your energy with the spell. It goes ‘rin, pyo, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, zai, zen.’ Only use this on spirits, Yuri. You can seriously injure someone if you use it on them.” 

Yuri nodded slowly and made the movements for the first two. “Rin, pyo, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, zai, zen?” He said uncertainly. 

Yuuri nodded and smiled back. “You're a fast learner. I'm sure you'll be fine. Thank you for keeping us company, Yuri,” he said as Yuri turned and ran down the hall to look for Viktor. 

***

Viktor was almost done unpacking their equipment when Yuri showed up, out of breath and looking like he'd run a marathon. 

“You okay, Yura?” He asked, quickly putting down the camera he'd been holding and taking a step towards Yuri. “Did something happen?” 

Yuri shook his head quietly and picked up the camera. “What room are we putting this in?” 

Viktor hesitated. “Are you sure you don't want to sit down?”

“I'm fine. What room are we setting up base in?” He asked, irritation creeping into his voice. 

Viktor hesitated, but picked up a monitor and signalled for Yuri to follow him. 

They wound their way to a room that was empty with the exception of a table and Viktor's equipment. 

“Was it Yuuri?” Viktor asked, startling Yuri and almost making him drop the camera.

“Was what Yuuri?” He asked, turning away. 

“The reason you're acting like this. Did Yuuri do something to you?” Viktor asked, voice hardened. 

“Don't be stupid, old man. That guy couldn't hurt a fly. He even taught me how to protect myself,” he muttered, leaving the room. 

Viktor quickly followed, running to catch up. “What do you mean? What did he teach you?” 

Yuri shrugged. “He called it the 9 cuts. He told me not to use it on people, though.”

“He taught him warding magic…” Viktor mumbled to himself. “Does he think this place is that dangerous? What happened while you were with him?” 

“Why are you asking so many damn questions?!” Yuri yelled back, stopping in the middle of the hallway. “Yeah, okay? He said this place had a strong negative energy and he fell over in the sitting room because he smelled blood and decay or some shit. He told me not to walk around alone and then he taught me that thing.” 

Viktor was quiet for a few seconds before nodding and continuing down the hall.

He'd look further into this later, maybe ask Yuri a few more questions.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really fast update because I actually have most of this written but prefer to keep it until i have a certain amount of later chapters done because I get ideas in later chapters that would require changes in earlier chapters. So I kind of prefer to deal with them in a wait and see kind of way because I don't want to mess with anything already published XD. 
> 
> Also! Thank you so much to those of you who left comments, kudos, bookmarked, or even just read :D! It made me really happy, so thank you :D!

Yuuri and Phichit were making their way back to the room Ms. Baranovskaya had assigned them, when they were stopped by JJ and his team who seemed to have been aimlessly walking and taping footage of the house just before their encounter.

“Yuuri! Just the man I was looking for. I was wondering if you two would be willing to do a small interview for me and my fanbase. Us celebrities have to help each other out, don't we?” he asked, sending him a large smile and a wink. 

He had an arm wrapped around Isabella, who remained tucked at his side, while Emil stood behind them holding the large camera on his shoulders. 

“O-oh. Um… sure, JJ,” he stuttered, looking back at Phichit, who shrugged and nodded.

“Great! Let's go to the sitting room,” he said, beginning to walk away. 

“W-wait! Um, can't we do this in the dining room or something?” Yuuri said, avoiding eye contact.

“Are you crazy? Why wouldn't we do this in the room with the most activity?” 

“I'm sorry, Mr. Leroy, but I'm a little unwilling to re-enter that room just yet,” Yuuri said, a little more firmly. 

JJ gave a disappointed sigh, but nodded. “Then, the dining room.”

Once they had seated themselves, they began to formally introduce themselves. 

“As you probably know, I'm Jean-Jacques Leroy, this is my beautiful fiancee Isabella Yang, and our fine cameraman Emil Nekola,” he said, motioning to each person as he named them. 

Emil pointed the camera at Yuuri and JJ motioned for him to introduce himself.

“I'm-” Yuri and Viktor stepped in with a camera, a tripod, a clipboard, and a small device, but paused when they saw Yuuri. He waved shyly at them before resuming where he left off. “Yuuri Katsuki, and this is my partner Phichit Chulanont.” 

The camera turned to Phichit who smiled and waved. 

“Partner as in romantic partner?” JJ asked, making Yuuri blush.

Phichit quickly tried to silence a loud, sudden burst of laughter with his hands, but only managed to muffle his giggles. 

“No! It's strictly professional. We are very close, but, I mean, he's like a brother to me. I would never.” Yuuri rushed out, turning even more red. 

The camera moved to Phichit who was still trying to stifle his fit of giggles as he watched Yuuri.

“I see. That's good to know because there has been a lot of speculation, especially with how Phichit always seems to come to your rescue,” Isabella stated, the camera moving to her. 

“Ah… Well, yes,” Yuuri mumbled, ducking his head to hide his vibrantly red face. 

“Alright, well, can you tell us a little more about yourself? What are you? What do you do? How did you find your start?” JJ asked, taking on a tone more appropriate for his role.

“I'll go first, since my story is way more simple than Yuuri's! I was born in Thailand, but my parents and I moved to Detroit when I was younger. Celestino was a family friend and offered me an internship because he knew I had an interest in production since I was younger and fell in love with the King and the Skater. It's where I first met Yuuri and my abilities first began to show themselves. I suppose I could be called clairvoyant?” Phichit laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “There's so many words to be used, but clairvoyant probably sums it up best. I am able to pick up on an object or person's past by holding the object or something belonging to the person,” he clarified. 

JJ sent him an amused smile. “Can you demonstrate? No one outside my family or the three of us knows how I proposed to Isabella. Do you think you can figure it out if you held her ring?” 

Yuuri shook his head and laughed as Isabella passed her ring to Phichit. He turned to see Viktor was paying close attention to Phichit, arms crossed, with Yuri mirroring his pose, albeit looking much more annoyed.

“You had proposed to her before the show had gotten its start and promised her you'd get married once it took off,” Phichit said, pausing. His eyebrow creased and he looked confused before his head snapped up from the ring and he stared at JJ. “You're not engaged. You've been married for months; since December of last year!” Phichit declared, laughing loudly. 

The camera shifted to JJ who was grinning widely, his hand linked to Isabella's. “Guess the cat's out of the bag. You're no joke,” he said, pulling out his phone and passing it to Phichit. “Some pictures we took.” 

Phichit picked up the phone and delightedly scrolled through them, stopping every now and then to show them to Yuuri.

“Congratulations,” Yuuri said, smiling at them. “Why keep it a secret, though?” 

JJ laughed. “We wanted to make an impact when we told our fans, and I guess this was as good a way as any.” 

“I was used,” Phichit declared, his smile not leaving his face as he continued to scroll. When he had finished, he handed both the phone and ring back, turning to Yuuri with an accomplished grin. 

“Alright, so back to the interview,” Isabella declared as she slid her ring back on, and turned her attention and that of the camera’s to Yuuri. “Can you tell us more about yourself? You're quite an enigma. You don't have active social media accounts like Phichit, you seem to avoid talking about yourself, and I'm sure your fans are really interested and so are we,” she said, smiling at the man. 

Phichit nudged him encouragingly and Yuuri took in a deep breath before he began.

“I suppose… That I am a medium, but in my culture I am a… shaman? The translation is rather rough,” he said, laughing awkwardly. “My parents happen to care for a temple in Japan, while they also run a hot springs inn. It may sound a little hard to believe, but I would speak to the spirit of an old tree at the temple and it would tell me many things and even taught me warding spells,” he began, noticing that Viktor had shifted from the corner of his eye, and was moving a little closer. “It was my protector, as I was at an age where I was seeing things and couldn't completely understand. It also became a sort of spiritual guide and taught me how to do many of the other things I do today including my healing… I suppose, in Mr. Nikiforov’s field,” he said turning the attention of the camera to Viktor “it is called Bio-PK. We lived in a small town, and so information over what I was capable of was widely known, and I would help heal some of the people, or help them deal with some spirits. Obviously, I couldn't exorcise them, but I was able to talk a few into passing on.

“My parents’ inn came into a bit of financial trouble around the same time that rumors had spread to Celestino and he had asked me to perform my talents on camera and investigate hauntings, so I decided I would take the opportunity to help support them and keep it afloat.

“It seems that my becoming well known in itself also helped promote tourism and the town is doing rather well. I've even heard that quite a few people have been visiting the tree I told you about and making offerings to the temple. It's thriving,” he said, smiling down at his folded hands.

“To be completely honest, I was very uncomfortable at first and I was always scared that people would call me a fake if I couldn't sense or do something. I had the same fears as a child, so I always remember what the spirit had told me. ‘You shouldn't try so hard to prove yourself to people who doubt you. If you fail or can't, they never believed you, anyway.’ It helps to reassure myself. In such an instant, there really is no great loss.”

“Can Phichit also-?” 

“Oh, no! Phichit couldn't sense someone's bad intentions if he tried, let alone a spirit,” Yuuri laughed at Phichit's offended gasp. “Celestino makes him come with me to watch out for me. I'm rather sensitive to spirits and tend to collapse occasionally because of strong visions and sensations they cause. He grounds me. He does have a talent for psychometry, as he just said. It's why we were put together at first and why we stay together now. We fill in each other's blanks.” At everyone's curious gaze, Phichit spoke up to elaborate.

“Let's say Yuuri sees a spirit. In that case, I can try to find an object previously owned by the deceased and learn more about them to help Yuuri help them pass on if the spirit is too aggressive or lost to show him what is keeping them here.”

JJ nodded and sat back, signalling the end of his interview.

“That's impressive. I can see why you two are so close, you're almost two halves of a whole story. I am curious, though; doesn't it ever get dangerous? I know you had said you know warding magic, but that's only Yuuri,” Viktor said, approaching the table until he was standing next to JJ with Yuri a few steps away. The camera shifted to them again briefly before going back to Yuuri.

“Phichit does know some warding magic as well, but I suppose you're right. We can't exorcise spirits that don't want to leave on their own. In that case, we would ask the owners to consult a priest,” he said, with Phichit beside him motioning for JJ to cut the camera. 

JJ nodded and Emil set it down. 

“Sorry, guys, but we have a few people coming tomorrow, two who can exorcise, and another member of our team, but we'd like to keep them on the down low. One isn't actually supposed to be exorcising, the other prefers to stay mostly unknown, and the last, our producers prefer to keep a secret. If you could avoid filming all three of them? We wouldn't want to get any of them in any trouble,” Phichit said, standing from his seat. 

JJ nodded. “No problem. If we get them on film at all we'll make sure to blur their faces, but we'll try to keep them out of sight,” he said, standing to leave.

“Thank you for doing our interview, it really is a pleasure to meet you. JJ and I watch your show all the time,” Isabella said, before leaving the room with the two others.

Yuri sneered as the door shut, making Phichit laugh. 

“Why do you hate him so much?” He asked, clearly amused.

“Because he's so full of shit! All he does is go to places people say are haunted with equipment he has no business using, then points out shit that happens like a jackass! ‘holy shit, that just moved!’ ‘holy shit I swear I just saw a shadow!’ ‘did you guys see that?! That spot right there is probably a spector!’” He said, mimicking JJ. “I doubt that asshole’s ever been somewhere he doesn't think is haunted. He doesn't contribute at all to parapsychology, and he does nothing for the ‘haunted’ places, either,” he ranted, finishing with a huff and crossing his arms. 

Phichit looked like he considered his explanation before shrugging and nodding. “That does about sum him up, doesn't it?” He said with a laugh.

“He has provided some evidence to the study of the supernatural?” Yuuri tried to defend weakly. 

“Bullshit,” Yuri responded, signalling the end of that conversation.

“Might I know who you have coming?” Viktor asked once he had the chance. 

“A priest, an onmyoji, and an assistant,” Yuuri answered,relieved at the topic change. 

“You know an onmyoji?” Viktor asked, shock evident on his face. 

“What's that?” Yuri asked as he took advantage of JJ’s departure to stand closer. He had remembered Yuuri saying something about someone who knew onmyodo, but hadn't known what it meant, even then.

“They're a sort of psychic, I guess. They used to defend the imperial government and were assigned government officials because of their incredible abilities.” 

“Yuuri knows some onmyodo, too,” Phichit added. 

“Do you? That's quite impressive. Might I ask what you know?” 

“Just some bits of paper charm magic, sealing magic, and conjuration. Guang-Hong knows much more than I do. He practiced much more than I could have,” Yuuri said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“That's still an impressive list of talents you've accumulated, but ‘Guang-Hong,’ that's chinese, isn't it? I was under the impression that onmyodo was japanese.” 

Yuuri nodded. “It is, but it does have Chinese roots, and Guang-Hong had quite the talent for it-” 

“Yuuri taught him!” Phichit interrupted, making Yuuri send him a light glare.

Viktor looked startled by the declaration, but regained himself. “Again, Yuuri, I must say I am impressed. You are much more than you are portrayed to be,” he said, causing the man to blush. 

“I’m sorry, Mr. Nikiforov, you've been horribly misinformed. I didn't teach Guang-Hong, as much as I saw his potential and guided him alongside my own mentor to further cultivate his talents,” he said, refusing to meet anyone's eyes. 

“You're too humble, Yuuri. He taught me, too! I started having visions a little after I met him, and he even helped me get a better grasp on things. I guess he just has a talent for bringing out people's abilities,” Phichit said, smiling down at the man like a proud parent. 

Yuuri continued avoiding eye contact and stood. “If you'll excuse me, Mr. Nikif-”

“Viktor.”

“I beg your pardon?” Yuuri said, finally looking up.

Viktor smiled at Yuuri. “Just ‘Viktor’ is fine. ‘Mr. Nikiforov’ makes me feel old,” Viktor said, sending Yuuri a dazzling smile that made him blush and duck his head. 

“That's because you are old!” Yuri shouted, making Viktor laugh. 

“You wound me, Yura. In any case, Yuuri, I'm sure you'd like to rest. It must have been a long flight,” he said, turning back to Yuri. 

“Come, Yura. We still have a few more rooms to set up in. By the way,” he said turning back to the other two. “You are always welcome to stop by our base, if you'd like. We are currently in the room across from this one,” he said before leaving the room with Yuri trudging behind him.

***

The sun was setting when Yuuri and Phichit finally managed to make it to their room. It was rather spacious, with three beds, a window looking over the garden, and a door that no doubt led to a restroom. 

“Sweet! A tv!” Phichit cheered, flopping onto the bed in the center and making himself at home. “Look, we're on!” He shouted, directing Yuuri's attention to the two of them doing a walkthrough at the hotel they had investigated when they were just starting. 

He smiled, rolling his eyes. “Change it, Phichit, I don't like watching us. I feel ridiculous,” he said, changing into his night clothes. 

“You just gotta embrace it,” he said, but changed the channel, anyway. “Oh, look JJ is on, too,” he said as Yuuri shook his head at him and walked into the restroom to get ready for bed. 

The whole time, his mind had wandered to the history of the house. He needed to find out when this had started, why it had started, and who or what was causing this. 

Judging from the strong negative emotion in the sitting room and the smell that came from it, they certainly had their work cut out for them. For just himself, it might be a little hard, but he had faith that Leo, Guang-Hong, Otabek, and even Yuri and Viktor would be valuable allies. 

When he stepped back into the room, Phichit was still watching JJ’s show. 

“Hey, you know, I never noticed it before Yuri pointed it out, but JJ does only seem to freak out over mundane things that could very well have a reasonable explanation, and then declare the place haunted and leave,” he laughed. 

“Be nice! We're supposed to be here with them until we solve this, and he was respectful, for the most part, anyway,” Yuuri scolded.

Phichit raised his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, but, hey,” he said, sitting up. “How was it to finally meet Viktor?” He asked, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

“He was… younger than I'd expected,” he mumbled, turning away, pretending to be looking for something in his bag. 

“Younger?! Yuuri, more like hotter! You've looked up to this man your whole life for his work, and all you say when you finally meet him is that he's ‘younger'? You're holding back on me.” Yuuri heard Phichit's footsteps before feeling a warm weight on his back.

“Spill. C’mon, give it to me how it is! What do you think of him?!” 

“I think that he probably thinks I'm a fake like everybody else, Phich,” Yuuri muttered, ducking his head further. 

“You'll change that, Yuuri! You're the most talented person I know! Who knows, by the end of this, you might be adopting little psychic kids and solving hauntings together!” He said, hugging Yuuri from behind.

Yuuri blushed, and pulled away. “There's no way. He takes his work seriously and so do I,” he responded.

“But Yuuri! Just imagine it! You'd be supernatural powerhouses! You'd be as cool as the Warrens; you'd kick butt like the Warrens!” 

“Go to your bed, I'm going to sleep,” was Yuuri's response. 

“Yuuuuri,” Phichit whined before an idea hit him. “He was staring at you a lot, you know,” he said with a smirk.

“He wasn't,” Yuuri responded, as if even the thought of it was impossible; even still, his cheeks went pink.

“He totally was, and he even let you call him by his first name. Plus! He took a special interest in your interview with JJ, which means he took an interest in you! He's totally into you, and when you show him what you can do, he'll be tripping over himself to ask you out,” Phichit declared, leaning all his weight onto Yuuri. 

Yuuri pulled away, causing Phichit to fall forward and off the bed with a yelp.

“Since you seem to like being on that bed, I'm taking the middle one,” Yuuri said, already walking toward it. He switched off the light and the television, and laid down, turning his back to Phichit.

“Yuuri, no fair! That one has the best view of the tv! You don't even like watching tv!” 

Yuuri ignored him, pretending to have fallen asleep.

“Fine, but we're switching back tomorrow,” he mumbled, and Yuuri heard the rustling of the blankets.

***   
“What do you think of them so far?” Viktor heard Yuri ask him as he returned from the restroom.

“I don't know,” Viktor answered honestly. “When we had arrived in the dining room, they were in the middle of something, and the marriage revelation seemed like too much of a publicity stunt to be real. Not only that, but both JJ’s team and Yuuri and Phichit profit from the size of their fanbase, so a collaboration with so many sudden reveals seems a little suspicious. 

“If Yuuri had been as well known in his town as to have it reach a producer like Celestino, I don't understand why it wouldn't have reached Yakov or your grandpa,” Viktor explained, watching as the shock and irritation evolved on Yuri's face to pure rage. 

With all the fake claims at clairvoyance, or PK ability, he didn't understand why Yuri was upset. He even figured he might be a little more disbelieving himself. It was people that faked footage, photographs, and abilities that further discredited their own honest work and set them back years. He supposed that Yuri's rage might have come from his young age. As someone almost a decade older, Viktor's patience for imposters dwindled to almost nothing at all. 

He'd given people the benefit of the doubt, he'd tried to believe most claims, but when only a handful are true, it's very hard to believe every person that comes around claiming to sense spirits, or have any supernatural abilities.

It was especially hard to believe people who profited from those abilities and didn't even try to contribute to the community and further expand research and knowledge over that area. What reason would Yuuri have to hide so much about himself? 

“You don't know what the hell you're talking about!” Yuri yelled, much to Viktor's surprise. 

He'd known Yuri a while, and he didn't usually become upset on someone else's behalf; he'd usually just become upset at someone else.

“Look, Yuri, I know you like his show, but psychometry and the idea of clairvoyance is a flimsy portion of parapsychology at best. There simply isn't enough proof. What makes humans so exceptional that they can see into another person or object's past, or even form a connection strong enough with spirits to know name, age, past, or anything like that?

“I obviously believe in spirits, but why should I believe in people unless I'm shown proper evidence? They're well versed in the vocabulary and mechanics of it all, I'll give them that, but nothing more until I see real proof” he said, sitting on the bed beside Yuri and stuffing his clothes into his luggage. 

“What about the shit that happens on the show!?” 

“The key word being ‘show,’ Yura. I doubt it's any different than an episode of any other drama. Yuuri has a pretty face, a likeable persona, and a docile temperament, it makes sense that he's the star. I must give credit where it's due; he is a tremendous actor. He even managed to fool you with whatever he pulled in the sitting room.” Yuri scoffed. 

“You're a fucking ghost hunter and YOU'RE being sceptical?! You're devouring your own fucking tail, dumbass. If you think he's such a fake, why do you keep trying to flirt with him, shitty old man?” 

“I did mention that he was rather beautiful,” Viktor repeated, sending a smirk and wink at Yuri. 

Yuri groaned. “He's at least fucking nice, and you're being an asshole.” 

“I'm not disagreeing with you on that; I'm sure his intentions are pure, but his claims are a little hard to believe.” He raised a hand when Yuri opened his mouth to argue again. “I won't totally reject them at the moment, however. I'm sure the truth will reveal itself in the days to come.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, like, before I knew it, this chapter was 8,000 words long and I wasn't about to edit 8,000 word chapter, so I split it in two and I'll post the next chapter later or tomorrow or something not too far off. 
> 
> ANYWAY! Here's chapter 2 completed 5 minutes before I have to get ready for work because I was informed last minute that I DO work today which sucks, but whatever. Thanks for reading and sorry Viktor's kinda a jerk in this chapter XD. (Also, I figured out the chapter number thing which is great.) Did I mention that Yuri was aged up by two years?


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, like... Somehow, this grew to 8000 words too... So i split it :D! This is still an awful lot longer than the first two chapters, though. I can't say I really like this chapter much, either, but I can't do much about it.

The next day, all three men had arrived and Phichit introduced them to the others excitedly, while Yuuri stood by to catch them up on what had occurred before and after they had arrived.

Leo and Guang-Hong were both completely starstruck at the sight of Viktor, and even JJ to a lesser extent, while Otabek remained as impassive as always, quickly setting up his laptop and getting to his research before inquiring about Viktor's equipment.

They were currently lounging at Viktor's base, while JJ and his team had wandered off to do some investigating of their own. 

Leo and Guang-Hong were discussing the situation with Phichit, Yuri was teaching Otabek about their equipment and Otabek was filling him in on the more important parts of Yuuri's team's talents, while Yuuri and Viktor made light conversation, seeing as they weren't really needed at the moment.

Yuuri kept his eyes lowered, unable to keep Phichit's words out of his head. Every now and then he would see Phichit try to sneak a glance at him and Viktor with a light smirk.

“Your entire party seems to be quite young, Yuuri,” Viktor commented after a few minutes had passed without a word. Yuuri startled at the sudden comment, but was able to maintain most of his composure.

“I-I'm afraid so. It does make it easier for us to get along, since we're around the same age, with Guang-Hong the youngest at 17 and myself as the oldest at 23. We've established quite a bond,” he smiled back, turning to the small group of psychics. 

Guang-Hong and Leo were currently whining about something Phichit had done, or so Yuuri assumed, from the way Phichit was laughing as the other two groaned in frustration.

Yuuri let out a small laugh and shook his head. He was about to call out to Phichit to tell him to stop messing with them, when Viktor spoke again.

“How did you all meet?” Viktor asked. 

Yuuri turned to him with a final glance to Phichit, who had his arms raised in surrender and hummed, trying to remember. “You already know how Phichit and I met. As for Leo and Guang-Hong… let's see, I met Guang-Hong when I was 18 and he was very young, I think 12 at the time? I remember it was one of our undocumented cases. It was only Phichit and I because it was too dangerous for even the camera crew. He was the son of the people who lived there and he actually told me the name of the spirit and had told me that she wanted to take him away. He was clairvoyant, but a lot of children are, so I didn't think too much of it. I taught him the nine cuts, even though Phichit and I were around him at almost all hours to make sure nothing happened. 

“Still, everything that can go wrong in our cases does, so Phichit and I were attacked and knocked away from him, but when the spirit tried to grab at him, he performed the warding spell and it was honestly the most impressive one I've ever seen from a beginner, let alone a child. 

“At the time, if Phichit had even performed it, the spirit would only be left stunned. I, myself, even took quite a time to perform it as well as he had at that moment, but after he had, the spirit's presence was completely knocked out of the room,” Yuuri explained, seeing Viktor's brow crease in confusion.

“He had a very controlled way of managing his energy that was promising, so once we'd dealt with the spirit and freed the family, I asked if it was okay for Guang-Hong to study under me. His parents agreed, and I took him back to Japan with me and Phichit to learn onmyodo,” Yuuri smiled at the boy. “Five years in and he's one of the most talented onmyoji I've ever seen.” 

“Well, aren't you modest?” Viktor teased, causing a blush to spread across Yuuri's cheeks.

“His talent is his own,” he mumbled, causing Viktor to chuckle. 

“And Leo?” 

“Leo was actually a client, or at least, his monastery was. They wanted us to investigate a case of odd illnesses among the children in one of their orphanages. Since we were directly in contact with the church, they allowed Leo to conduct an exorcism and I asked if he could do that for our team, seeing as only Guang-Hong could properly exorcise at the time. 

“He told me he couldn't because he was in the presence of the other priests, but when we were leaving he met up with me and said he wanted to help people like he had done then. 

“He's distanced himself a bit from the church so they don't know he does unauthorized exorcisms, but he's still a priest, by all means,” Yuuri said, smiling fondly at his team who now seemed to be talking excitedly about something. 

“How naughty,” Viktor said, nudging him playfully. 

Yuuri laughed. “Yes, well, if it gets out, it'll be your head, Nikiforov.” 

“I'm not stupid enough to get on your bad side,” he chuckled, smiling down at Yuuri and meeting his eyes. 

Yuuri cleared his throat and looked away, trying to hide his blush. “Otabek's story isn't as interesting, but he's as important to our team as anyone else. He was hired by Celestino to do any extra research. He's very thorough, very capable, and he's someone you can rely on for anything,” he said, almost defensively before he caught himself. “How did you meet Yuri?” 

“Nothing nearly as interesting as your stories; he was the grandson of one of my fellow researchers, and he asked that I take him under my wing,” Viktor explained with a dismissive shrug. 

Yuuri nodded absently, turning to watch the boy point at different pieces of equipment and gesture with his hands as he spoke. Behind him, Otabek was nodding along, arms crossed and face neutral.

“There's something about him,” Yuuri murmured. 

“Are you trying to steal this one away, too?” Viktor teased. “I stand no chance against your charm if you try. I'll try to get you to take me, too,” he laughed when Yuuri’s face became a vibrant red. 

“Y-you're doing f-fine on your own,” he stuttered.

Viktor laughed again in response before he became a little more serious. “No, but you're right. Yura’s smart, dedicated, a fast learner, and honestly developing as a paranormal researcher at an alarming rate. He'll be making a name for himself in no time.” 

Yuuri nodded, even though a part of himself insisted that it was something more.

“He's quite a big fan of yours,” Viktor added, causing Yuuri's head to snap up. “He thinks your abilities are rather incredible, and has been watching you since your show first started. I think seeing you solve cases was one of the reasons he went in this direction,” Viktor said, holding eye contact. His look was intense and made Yuuri uncomfortable, but it also made him feel like he was being challenged. 

“I'm glad I gained you an assistant,” Yuuri respond tersely, turning away again. His heart clenched, and he wasn't sure if it was fear, uncertainty, or anger. 

Why did it matter what he thought? It wasn't supposed to. It hadn't mattered what others thought of his abilities for a long time. Did he even believe to begin with? No, probably not, but this was his idol. 

If Yuri started this because of Yuuri, then Yuuri was the same. He had taken an interest in parapsychology because of Viktor, and could even be said to have started developing his abilities because of him. 

Yuuri had stumbled upon one of Viktor's writings at a young age, when he was trying to discover more about himself. Of course, Viktor's work had nothing to do with him or his abilities, but his achievements, his almost infinite knowledge on spirits, and his solved cases left Yuuri in awe, and scampering to the desk where the librarian sat, asking for anything she had on the man (boy at the time, but Yuuri didn't know before now). 

It was then that his admiration and idolization of Viktor began, and when he had started to go out and coax spirits into moving on. It began as an attempt at imitating him, an attempt to reach him in his own way, but when he felt the joy and gratitude the spirit expressed at his help, he had cried; he wanted nothing more than to help, and if he was reminded of Viktor, or felt himself closer to the man as he helped, then all the better. 

After he had moved to the United States with Celestino, he began to hear more and more about Viktor. He heard about Viktor's incredible demonstrations of PK, and he began to research it, only to realize that he himself possessed a form of it. He had wanted to reach out to him, he wanted to show them what he could do, but he pulled the thought back before it was ever even voiced. 

His show had been criticized. He, himself, had been criticized and called a fake, and it had been echoed by Viktor's own organization. He was never referred to by them as any kind of psychic, clairvoyant, or anything that acknowledged his abilities. He was just ‘TV celebrity.’ 

‘Television celebrity, Yuuri Katsuki has demonstrated his so-called abilities for the world to see. Of course, the episode was aired after an entire week of editing, and with so much hype being built around it, can we truly believe his claims? The teenage boy is said to possess a questionable number of abilities that can be confirmed by no one, but the spirits he alone can communicate with…” The article had said, and Yuuri felt the ground crumble beneath him as he plummeted further into uncertainty and anxiety. 

He was young, and he could hardly show his face without being questioned or accused of being a fake. He was scared of people, he was scared of going out, but one place was still safe.

He had taken a long break between the first and second season, although Celestino had assured him that the network was always willing to take him up for another season. 

When he returned home, the first thing he had done was visit his guide and friend. He told her his worries and fears, as well as his experiences. It was then that she had reassured him and told him the words he had repeated to JJ.

Yuuri's abilities were real; he wasn't a liar and he didn't do this for the fame or even for himself.

He returned with a renewed rigor. He held his head high, and bore every jab, taunt, and accusation with grace.

He was going to show everyone.

He was going to show Viktor. He wanted him to see him as as much as an equal as he could, if only because he had been Yuuri's initial driving force. If Viktor didn't believe him now, he would show him.

“So,” Viktor began, snapping Yuuri out of his thoughts. He quirked a brow at the suspicious start, but turned to the man and listened, nonetheless. “How has it been dealing with romantic partners in your profession?” 

Yuuri froze at the question, completely caught off guard. He didn't even have the sense to blush as he tried to understand what Viktor was asking him so suddenly. “A-ah, um… I haven't- I mean, I don't-” 

“You've never been in a relationship? Surely that can't be true, Yuuri. You're very attractive, talented, and are practically a celebrity.”

Yuuri drew back, confused and wary of the sudden change of mood. “Well, see, I don't know very many people who are very interested in having a partner that sees, speaks to, and is occasionally known to play host to dead people, even if the other things you said were true...” he trailed off, taking a step backward as Viktor took one forward. 

“They ar-”

“We should get to work,” Yuuri rushed, cutting him off. 

He turned his attention to Phichit and the two teens with him. “Guang-Hong, would you mind helping me make some protection charms for the people here? As well as that, can I have you and Leo come with me into the sitting room?” 

Guang-Hong and Leo nodded and all three turned to make their way to the door, but were stopped by Yuri.

“You can't go in there!” He shouted, turning away from his conversation with Otabek to face him, and startling Yuuri and the others.

“Hey, don't worry about it, Yuri. Yuuri, Guang-Hong, and Leo are the strongest of all of us. They'll be safe,” Phichit reassured him. 

Viktor's attention switched to Yuri, the concern he'd felt yesterday returning. 

Yuri had never been this scared on a case. If anything, he'd always been sure of his own survival, even if he often teased Viktor that he would become one of the spirits when a case looked like it had taken a turn for the worst. 

“Yura, did something happen to you in there?” He asked, worry creeping into his tone. “Do you want to leave? I'm sure I can-”

“No! I can stay, it's just…” he trailed off, looking up at Yuuri, then away. 

When he failed to continue, Yuuri stepped in, not having missed Yuri's stare.

“I'm sorry, Viktor. It may be my fault. When we were in the sitting room, I collapsed. I also started saying some things that might have concerned Yuri,” he turned to Yuri. “I'm sorry, Yuri. If it'll make you feel better, we can all go?” 

The boy deliberated for a few seconds before he nodded and moved to stand next to Yuuri, while the others dropped what they were doing and followed them out; Yuuri gave him a warm smile and led their large group into the room, with Leo and Guang-Hong flanking him, and Yuri just behind him. 

“So, what did you feel in the room, Yuuri?” Leo asked. 

“I don't know how to explain it…” he mumbled. “It was just… unadulterated terror and disgust?” 

Leo hummed. 

“Like the murder house in California?” Guang-Hong asked.

“That's what I was thinking!” Phichit cried, running up next to Yuri. 

Viktor made up the rear, alongside Otabek, who was following the conversation closely.

“No, not quite like that. This feeling was essentially more… more something. It was overpowering,” Yuuri mumbled, holding his fist to his mouth as he thought. 

“Like the hell’s gate?” Otabek asked. 

Viktor's expression was horrified. They were all mostly teenagers, with the exception of Yuuri and Phichit, what in the world were they doing on a hell’s gate, literal or not. He half expected Yuri to ask them as well, but he remained strangely quiet.

“I forgot about that case! Was it like that? Are we on another opening? Maybe that's why these things keep happening! Case solved, let's go home,” Phichit declared.

“How did you forget the hell’s gate?! That was one of our worst cases!” Leo cried, but Phichit just shrugged. 

“Didn't do much,” he replied, just as Otabek began to give his input.

“This house has been here for almost a century. These things began happening only about 60 years ago, so the hell gate is out; I couldn't find anything that stood out either, though,” Otabek said, a small smile on his lips. 

“Did it look like it was missing or never recorded?” Leo asked. 

“Yes, it could be that whatever happened here was kept from the outside,” Guang-Hong added.

“Yeah, that could be it. The owners of the house have all been relatively wealthy, and the house is in a secluded area. People could have been paid to look the other way, or have just never caught on,” Otabek confirmed.

“Does it feel… like the last case?” Guang-Hong asked, causing an uncomfortable silence to fall over their group. 

Viktor was about to ask what was wrong with the last case, but was interrupted before he so much as got a whole word out.

“Mr. Katsuki?” 

Phichit was visibly caught off by the woman with the assistant from the day prior and even pulled away with a small noise. 

“Yes, professor? Might I help you with something?” Yuuri asked, halting his entire entourage. 

Yuri peeked from around Yuuri at the woman. She didn't look at all concerned, she actually looked a little pleased. 

“I was wondering if you would like to participate in a séance this afternoon. We think that the best way to solve the case would be to contact one of the deceased, and since neither I nor my assistant have made much contact or experienced much activity, we thought maybe you would like to give it a shot,” she said, kindly. 

Yuuri looked to the others who shrugged and nodded. “Sure, that sounds like a wonderful idea,” Yuuri responded with his own smile. 

“Wonderful, thank you very much, Mr. Katsuki, I look forward to it, and of course you and your assistant should come Mr. Nikiforov,” she said before turning on her heel and walking away with the young woman in tow, just as quickly as she had appeared. 

“What the hell?!” Yuri said once they were too far to hear him. “They're just trying to get you to solve this case for them! Why did you agree?!” He shouted at Yuuri. 

“Yuri, everyone here is just trying to help. My objective is only to bring peace to the house, no matter the means or if I even do it myself. Besides, she researches heavily in what I specialize in.” Yuuri assured him.

The boy huffed, but nodded. 

They continued into the sitting room, where the strong scent of decay looked like it hit Yuuri again, judging from the way his hand quickly slapped over his mouth and nose. This time, however, he was joined by Leo and Guang-Hong.

“What is that?” Leo asked, face contorting in disgust as Guang-Hong ran to open a window. 

“You smell it too?” Phichit asked. “I can't smell a thing!”

“Consider yourself lucky,” Leo groaned, taking a spot next to Guang-Hong at the window. 

“Do you sense anything?” Viktor asked, raising a brow when he noticed that Yuri hung particularly close to Yuuri, almost as if he was afraid he would vanish. 

Leo hummed, stepping into the center of the room. “It feels… like a weight has been dropped on your chest. There's a lot of fear, but also anger and… hate,” he said.

“Yes, I'm picking up a bit on that, too. It's like every bad emotion rolled into one trying to overpower you. I can't imagine how it would feel to be alone in here,” Guang-Hong added. 

“Do you think this might be the center of the activity?” 

“It very well might be,” Leo said, turning to a camera at the corner of the room. “Is that yours?” He asked Viktor.

“Yes, it is.” 

“Did you happen to capture any activity from this room?” 

“I haven't looked through last night's footage of this room yet. If you'd come back with me, we could watch it together,” he said, walking over and plucking the tape from it. 

“Sounds good,” Otabek answered. He turned to Yuuri and Phichit who were whispering to one another. 

“Yuuri?” He asked. 

Yuuri's head jerked up. “Yes?” 

“Are you ready to head back?”

“Oh, yes, of course,” he said turning to head towards the door. “Also, Otabek, did you happen to get a copy of the floor plan for this house?” Yuuri asked, looking over his shoulder at him.

Otabek hummed in the affirmative. “Only for the current structure. There had been a few add ons, but I haven't been able to get my hands on the original design.” 

Yuuri nodded. “Do you know if any of the renovations happened inward, or were simply outward?” 

“It looks to me like the house was expanded outward, nothing done to the inside of the house other than to accommodate the new additions,” he said. 

Viktor raised a brow as he overheard their discussion. If they weren't the real deal, they were still very thorough. Floor plans of the house was something Viktor usually only dug up when the ‘supernatural activity’ was suspiciously similar to something that might happen in a house that had been built unevenly, or the sounds plumage would make. He found himself almost wanting to ask what they wanted it for in this case where most of the problems seemed quite serious.

Yuuri concluded his conversation with Otabek and nodded, the two turning to leave, with Yuri already out the door. 

As soon as everyone had left the room, and the door had shut behind them, they saw Ms. Baranovskaya approaching them looking agitated. 

“I'm sorry gentlemen, but have you seen one of the servants? She's a young thing: 21, blond hair past her shoulders, brown eyes. It appears that she hasn't been seen since yesterday, and normally I'd think that she went home like she was supposed to, but when I called her family they said they hadn't heard from her,” she said, voice straining to remain calm.

“I'm sorry Ms. Baranovskaya, but neither Yuuri or I have really interacted much with the servants. Would this happen to be the first time one of them disappeared?” Phichit asked.

“No…” she sighed. “When I asked the staff, they said that one of the more elderly servants had declared that he couldn't stand living like this, so they assumed he'd gone home and not come back. I called his son to make sure, since he hadn't picked up his pay, but he told me he hadn't heard from his father in almost a week. I asked taxi and bus companies, but they claim to have not seen him or the young woman.

“I checked both of their rooms, and all their belongings are still there,” she concluded, looking shaken up. 

Everyone was quiet for an instant before Viktor spoke up. 

“Ms. Baranovskaya, I think it would be for the best if you sent all the servants home permanently. We can't be risking any more lives. It would also be for the best if you left, as well. I had thought that age had been a factor, but since it doesn't appear to be that way anymore, I don't think anyone is safe.” 

“I think you're right, Nikiforov,” JJ said, walking towards them with Isabella pressed firmly against him, and Emil at his side, arms void of the camera he always seemed to carry, a somber look on their faces.

“What happened?” Yuuri asked.

“Isabella was attacked,” JJ said, looking a mixture of angry and guilty. 

“Can you tell us what happened?” Leo asked, taking a step closer to the woman. 

Isabella nodded. “I-I had this nightmare. I can't remember what it was about, but I woke up sweaty, and felt like I had run a marathon. I got up to splash my face with some water hoping I would feel better, but when I went into the restroom… there was something in the mirror. A...a man. His skull looked like it had caved in on the right, and he was just looking back at me. I turned, but there was no one there. 

“I tried to get out, but the door wouldn't open, and then the light started flickering before it completely died and there was a loud pounding on the walls. That's when JJ and Emil noticed I was gone and I could hear them calling me on the other side of the door, but it wouldn't open. Then I felt this searing pain on my back, and everything stopped,” she said, burying her face in JJ’s shoulder. 

“When we finally got in, there was writing on the mirror in blood. It said ‘You'll die soon, too,’” Emil said with none of his usual excitement carrying through.

“I took a picture of it and of the scratches on Isabella’s back,” JJ added.

He pulled out his phone and showed them a picture of three angry slashes on pale skin, just under bobbed hair that could only have been Isabella’s, and then the words on the mirror. 

“We're pulling out. My Isabella’s life is in danger and I can't put Emil at risk for the show’s sake,” he said before turning and walking away with Isabella still in his arms. 

Ms. Baranovskaya nodded absently, before coming back to her senses. “I'll pack my bags and tell the servants to do the same,” she said before leaving as well. 

“Can you hold out a little longer?” Yuuri called out to them. “I want to make some protection charms to make sure nothing follows you home,” he clarified at the fear that passed through their faces.

“Yeah… thanks, Yuuri. We'll start packing up for now,” JJ responded, continuing on his way with his team. 

“Please tell the servants to do the same, Ms. Baranovskaya. Some spirits are known to attach themselves to people, and I want to ensure that once they leave they'll be safe.” 

The woman nodded, looking thankful, and a little relieved. 

“Thank you, I'll carry the message along,” she said, then turned and left.

Yuuri turned to Guang-Hong who nodded and the two parted from the group and ventured further into the house.

“Where the hell are they going?!” Yuri screeched. “They hear that Isabella got attacked and two people went missing and they go off alone?!” 

He made to go after them, but Otabek grabbed his arm before he got too far. “They'll be safe.” 

“But-”

“Yuuri and Guang-Hong are both capable of taking care of themselves, Yura. I'm sure they’ll be fine,” Viktor assured him before turning and making his way back to the base with the others behind him. 

He didn't know why he said that. He didn't even know if he fully believed it himself, but he had to believe in something that would keep the man safe, and he didn't think he was foolish enough to wander off almost alone without any method of protecting himself after what he had just heard.

But even still… he shook the thought out of his head. Yuuri would be safe, and even if he weren't, he shouldn't have been so concerned. 

Except, Viktor saw how his team relied on him and looked to him. He saw how Yuuri smiled in their direction when he had asked about them, and how easily they seemed to interact with one another. 

It was a closeness he had always avoided. What use did he have of such relations in this field? He was a prodigy: smart, gifted, and without a case he couldn't solve on his own. Despite that, Nikolai Plisetsky was one of the men he had quite a bit of respect for, and he found himself stuck with the aggressive teen who had the tendency to talk back and ask too many questions because of it. 

He'd eventually grown used to Yuri's constant presence and his hollow threats… Well, mostly hollow: He had thrown a tape at his head like he promised he would, but luckily, he had missed. 

Yuri's presence alone brought him to another, more serious problem: what was he going to do with him now? 

Yuri had been present during several false alarms. He had even helped to debunk a good amount of suspicious activity, but nothing like this. Their cases revolved more around the more tame part, with the only extreme being a poltergeist they had experienced in Germany. There had also been the case with the cursed village that had been quite a close call, but nothing like this. 

People had died and had continued to die after they arrived. This spirit didn't become shy at the appearance of strangers, it seemed to become even bolder as if it were taunting them. As if it were saying “I am here, I am hurting people, and you have yet to be able to stop me.” 

It was infuriating and concerning all at once. Of course, Viktor at least knew how to defend himself. He had studied several religions and learned a handful of methods to ward spirits (the most effective coming from buddhist mantra and holy scripture) but what of Yuri? 

If Yuuri was the real deal, and Viktor was starting to both hope and believe he was, then he could be trusted on the identity of his companions. That would leave only Otabek who didn't have any special skill, but 4 out of 5 who did and 3 out of five who could protect themselves well. 

Still, would he trust those odds to keep Yuri safe? Could he even risk it when Isabella was attacked only feet away from JJ and Emil for the seconds she had left their side. He didn't think he could forgive himself if something happened to the boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, it took longer than expected because I've read this thing like 9 times and I kept getting distracted like “I wonder how the other chapters are doing” and I kept wandering off to edit and add on to them… BUT it didn't take as long as a week and I'm proud of that. 
> 
> No, but seriously it's 5 in the morning and i had to sit myself down and make myself finish editing and STOP ADDING THINGS.
> 
> Like I said, it's kind of bleh, but there's nothing I can really do about it now. I might also just think that because I'VE READ THIS LIKE A BILLION TIMES AND I'M SICK OF IT... Okay... I skimmed..
> 
> ALSO! Once again thank you for reading, leaving a kudos, commenting, and all that other stuff :D! It's really nice and I really appreciate it!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First thing's first, super simple:
> 
> Earthbound spirits:  
> -usually don't know they're dead  
> -continuously recreate their last moments because they are unaware they're dead  
> -typically pass on once made aware that their search or whatever is keeping them there is pointless because they're no longer living
> 
> Troubled spirits:  
> -aware that they are dead  
> -happens when the circumstances surrounding their death were troublesome to them or they were emotionally disturbed at the moment they died

Back at the base, they all busied themselves one way or another; they had decided they would wait for Yuuri and Guang-Hong to return before reviewing the tape.

Viktor had been oddly quiet the whole time, planting himself against the wall closest to the door after they had arrived, and not moving an inch, leaving Yuri to fend for himself in a room full of mostly strangers while they waited.

He had been standing next to Viktor at first, far from Yuuri's team, who were seated around the table they had brought in with enough chairs for all of them, although all seven seats had yet to be filled at a time.

He was scrolling through his phone, checking his social media, generally uninterested in what he saw before he huffed, and pulled out a seat in front of Leo and Phichit.

“So you're a priest?” Yuri asked Leo abruptly, sick of the constant silence.

“A-ah, um, yes, I am,” he answered, startled out of his own thoughts. Phichit was on his phone, and had looked up briefly, but when he saw that Leo was Yuri's object of interest, he went back to whatever he was doing.

“So why can't you just exorcise this whole place and be done with it?” Yuri asked.

It should've been that easy; that's how it went in the movies: A priest came in, got rid of whatever was causing problems, and the credits rolled. Well… after the family was terrorized, attacked, and a few killed- all of which had already happened.

“Well, for one, we don't know what's causing all of this. I don't have power over anything that doesn't fear the Lord's light, so I could just be making it angry. On top of that, if there happen to be any peaceful spirits, an exorcism would actually hurt them, and I’d prefer to not do that, especially with Yuuri and Guang-Hong being sensitive to their emotions, too.

“A cleansing might be a better option, but I might further upset whatever's here. There's little difference between an injured spirit and an injured animal: they both become incredibly aggressive, and that could put us all in danger,” Leo explained.

Yuri nodded, accepting his answer with an annoyed huff. “So we're stuck, then?”

“We might find out a little more during the séance,” Phichit added optimistically, still typing away.

Yuri mumbled an “I guess so,” and turned to Viktor, who was as still as a statue. He looked to be thinking hard about something, but Yuri decided to leave it. He was always thinking about one thing or another; it was better if he wasn't interrupted, and not like he needed him, anyway.

Yuri moved away and sat himself next to Otabek, who was busying himself on his computer. “Has anyone ever gotten hurt in any of the cases you've been on?” He asked, trying to keep himself entertained.

“Yuuri,” Otabek responded.

 _Quickly_.

“O-oh,” Yuri mumbled. He was suddenly overcome with flashes of Yuuri's horrified face as he was dragged away.

“Just Yuuri?”

“Sometimes Phichit, but Yuuri won't usually let any of us put ourselves in a potentially dangerous situation. He would rather try to take care of it himself.”

Yuri tensed.

_Was that what Yuuri was doing in that thing he saw? Was he trying to take care of it himself? Why the hell would he do something so stupid after everything that had happened there?_

Three chimes from the clock, Yuri remembered.

That's when Yuuri would be in danger.

That's when he would die.

 _Die_.

For someone who researched spirits and whose family and life revolved around spirits and the deceased, he had little experience with death: he hadn't so much as lost a pet. Sure, his parents weren't around all that much, but he was pretty sure they were alive.

If Yuuri died- _No. Yuuri wouldn't die_ , he told himself. _He_ would save him. When the clock rang 3 times and Yuuri wasn't around, he would know he was in the sitting room.

Yuri jumped a foot in the air when the loud, deep, muffled bell of the clock rang:

_1_

_2_

_3_

_…_

_4_

Four times. Yuuri was still okay.

Yuri slouched, letting out a breath he had been holding as he counted the chimes.

“Are you okay?” Otabek asked, a hand on his shoulder, causing Yuri to flinch and pull back, but he quickly recollected himself.

Otabek looked like he'd long since finished whatever he was doing on the computer and had been watching him. Yuri quickly looked around the room.

Viktor was in the same spot as earlier, still lost in thought, Phichit was off his phone and he and Leo were talking about… something, and Yuuri and Guang-Hong weren't back yet. It looked like Otabek had been the only one who had noticed his odd behavior.

“Fine,” he mumbled, looking away as a blush spread on his cheeks over his embarrassing actions.

“Looks like you picked something up from him,” Otabek observed.

Yuri raised a brow in response.

“Viktor, I mean. You got the same look on your face when you were thinking about whatever it was that got interrupted by the clock.”

“I'm nothing like him!” He yelled back in indignation.

Otabek chuckled and shook his head. “You are his assistant aren't you? It's only natural.”

“Well, yeah, but you're Yuuri's assistant and you're nothing like him!” He argued, only realizing after he said it that it was true.

The stoic man was nothing like Yuuri who was always either blushing, looking flustered, or smiling kindly. Still, he did feel comfortable around Otabek like he did around Yuuri. In fact, the same could be said about his whole team. It felt like Yuri had known them all for years.

Otabek sent him an amused smile before opening his laptop back up and pulling up the pinball game he didn't even know they had anymore.

“Wanna play?” He asked as he turned the laptop towards Yuri.

“I'm not a kid,” he hissed, shoving it back towards him.

“Scared you're not as good as me?” He asked, fighting the smile that was tugging on his lips.

Yuri glared at him for a few seconds before pulling the laptop back towards himself, and scooting closer to Otabek. “I want you to watch as I destroy your high score.”

“Bet you can't do it before Yuuri and Guang come back,” Otabek challenged, way too smug for Yuri's liking.

“Bet I can,” he responded childishly, shooting the virtual ball into the mess of lights and bumpers, and hitting the flipper buttons repeatedly when the ball came their way.

He lost almost instantly the first time, causing Otabek to let put an amused huff.

“It was a test run, asshole.”

Yuri took in a breath and let loose another virtual ball.

***

When Yuuri and Guang-Hong returned, Otabek was attempting to reclaim his high score. He was on the brink of doing it when Yuri noticed Yuuri and slammed the laptop shut on his hands.

“Time’s up! I win!” He cried, springing up from his seat.

All eyes in the room shifted to them, but Yuri couldn't be bothered to care. He'd beaten Otabek fair and square like he said he would. Now, whenever he opened the game, he would see the high score and think of how he got his ass handed to him by Yuri.

“I'm glad you two are getting along,” Yuuri laughed, slowly making his way around the room and handing everyone a piece of paper, from what he saw.

When he got to him, Yuri noticed some chinese character painted on it in bold, black ink.

“What is this?” He asked, flipping it over.

“It's a protection charm; it's paper magic. Keep it on you at all times, please,” Yuuri said, smiling down at him.

Yuri looked at him as if he'd grown a second head, but when Yuuri didn't admit he was just fucking with him, he nodded and shoved it in his pocket.

“Are we going to keep doing this? After last time… I just don't want you to get hurt” Phichit interjected, sounding a little nervous.

Yuuri turned to him, a more serious look on his face.

“I’m staying. I want to finish this, and I want to help whoever is trapped here. If anyone wants to leave, you have my permission to do so. I don't want to force you to risk your lives now that things have gotten like this,” Yuuri said, addressing his team.

“I’m staying if you are,” Phichit said, making his way to Yuuri and taking his hand.

“I am, too,” Leo said, sending Yuuri a small smile. “How else are you going to drive whatever is here out.”

“Me too! We're not leaving you alone, Yuuri,” Guang-Hong said.

They all turned to Otabek. “You know you don't have to stay. I would understand if you didn't want to-”

“I still have work to do,” he said with a slight smile on his lips. “You still have work for me to do.”

Yuuri smiled back looking relieved and grateful. “Thank you.”

“Yura, I'm sending you home,” Viktor said, turning the attention of the others to him as he approached the table to stand in front of the boy.

“What?! No! I'm staying here until we're done!” He yelled back.

Viktor sighed, avoiding Yuri's eyes. “Yura, you're only 17, you don't know how to defend yourself, an-”

“Yuuri taught me warding magic!”

“That's not enough, Yuri!” He yelled back, slamming his hand down on the table, making the boy flinch and cower slightly under his cold gaze.

Viktor had never… lost his composure like this. Not after every insult, or threat, or challenge. He was always smiling or smirking or laughing in that annoying, careless way that pissed Yuri off. He didn't know how to react, so he simply stared, wide eyed and heart drumming quickly in his chest. It was infuriating, he wanted to yell something back, he didn't want to leave, but those words wouldn't form.

“What would your grandpa say if you went missing like this? Without a body to even send home like everyone who died here. Without a cause or explanation, but in a way that could have been avoided. I'm not having you die like that,” Viktor argued through clenched teeth.

Yuri balled his hands into fists, standing straighter and looking Viktor in the eye.

“Then don't let me die, stupid,” he countered.

“Yuri, it's not within my power to protect you against something like-”

“I-I can protect him, Viktor,” Yuuri chimed in. “If he really wants to stay, there's three of us that know how to defend ourselves properly and two that can't. With Yuri, it would still be easy to pair up.”

“Great, I'm staying. Let's play the footage from the sitting room,” Yuri said, walking up to the monitors and inserting the tape.

No one else objected as their attention was drawn to the screen, although Viktor looked a little displeased. Yuuri placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled up at him reassuringly.

“I'll keep him safe. Can you trust me to?” Yuuri asked quietly.

Viktor let out a small sigh and smiled back at Yuuri. “ _We'll_ keep him safe. He's too much of a handful for one person,” he teased, drawing a glare from Yuri before he turned back and played the tape.

At first, nothing seemed to be going on, nothing was seen, and the room remained at peace. Yuri sped up the footage until movement caught his attention: the door to the room swung open, and in came a young woman with light hair just past her shoulders. She stepped in hesitantly, and looked around.

“Turn the sound up,” Otabek said.

“ _Ms. Baranovskaya?”_ The woman asked, looking more than a little scared.

“What time was this?” Viktor asked.

“Almost... three in the morning,” Yuri responded, voice quivering slightly.

“Why was she still in the house?” Viktor mumbled.

“ _Ms. Baranovskaya? I thought I heard your voice, are you okay?”_ The young woman asked, unable to see that the room was empty in the nearly moonless night.

Suddenly, a loud, pained groan was heard through the speakers, making them gasp and draw back in shock respectively.

It did sound like the woman, but she was nowhere in sight. Suddenly, the door slammed shut behind the woman, and she jerked away from it and further into the empty room.

She quickly realized the situation she was in and yanked at the door, but to no avail. Static overtook the screen, then nothing, before the room was shown again, the time stamp marking a few minutes past 3 am, with no one in sight.

“Where… did she go?” Guang-Hong asked, face pale.

“Maybe she left the room?” Phichit suggested, hopefully.

“If she left the room, she wouldn't be missing,” Otabek said.

“I need to find something of hers. I need to see if she's still alive,” Phichit whispered, stepping out of the room.

“Leo, go with him,” Yuuri instructed, keeping his eyes on the empty room that was left on the screen.

People didn't just vanish into thin air, there had to be something they weren't seeing.

“It looks like the temperature had dropped a little before she'd stepped into the room, too,” Yuri mumbled as he rewinded and replayed the footage. At the corner of the screen, the small number had dropped eight degrees.

“I don't understand,” Viktor spoke up. “Why are the staff disappearing, but Isabella was only scared and scratched? Whatever is here clearly isn't picky with its victims, but it keeps using different methods.

“Some kill themselves, some vanish, and there was the case with the boy who killed his friends. It doesn't make any sense,” he clarified.

“Because they've already been warned,” Otabek suggested, looking at the ground pensively.

“The staff had already experienced a lot of what Isabella did. They had lights flicker, they were scratched, they heard pounding on the walls, but they stayed.”

“And the boy?” Yuri asked.

“I don't know, but I'll look into it,” he said, setting up his laptop.

“Maybe he found something or did something he wasn't supposed to, but the other things; the disappearances and the suicides, were they at random, or has this thing slowly been escalating?” Yuuri asked, looking over Otabek's shoulder.

“Maybe it doesn't all have to do with what's going on here. Maybe that guy that killed his friends was a psychopath, and the guy that killed himself was suicidal,” Yuri suggested.

“Yura’s right. Attaching every bit of bad luck to supernatural phenomenon might just throw us further off its trail,” Viktor nodded, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder.

“Maybe it's many different spirits, not just one, and they're all causing harm. It would fit the lack of pattern,” Guang-Hong suggested.

Yuuri nodded. “For now, all we can do is research and guess,” Viktor concluded with a huff as he stepped away and opened up his own laptop and began typing.

“Maybe we'll learn more at the séance.”

Yuuri gave Guang-Hong a small smile. “I'll do my best.”

They all paused as a buzzing sound started and Yuri noted that it was coming from Yuuri, and progressively growing louder.

The man pulled out his phone, his brows creasing as he saw the screen, but he quickly answered. “Leo, what's wron-”

Yuri didn't hear what was said, but Yuuri gained a panicked look as he quickly hung up and signalled for Otabek and Guang-Hong to follow him as he sprinted out of the room.

Yuri and Viktor exchanged a brief look before starting after the others.

***

Phichit was huddled into himself, breathing erratically, hands clenched tightly around a small hair clip. The feeling in the room was heavy enough for even Yuri to feel it, and he was shocked to find that the room was colder than it should have been. He faltered, unable and unwilling to step in.

He heard Viktor gasp beside him, indicating that he had felt it too.

“Phichit...Phichit! C’mon, you need to come back, let go of it,” Leo said, trying to pry it out of his hands.

Yuuri had stood shocked at the door for a second before he kneeled beside the man.

“Phichit? No... Katerina,” he said, as if he'd realized something. “You need to let go of him. He can't help you, and you're hurting him. All you can do now is move on. Staying here will only continue to remind you of your pain. There's nothing left for you here, please let him go,” he said softly.

Phichit looked up, tears streaming down his face. “We'll find your body and get it home. I promise,” Yuuri whispered, placing a careful hand on Phichit's cheek.

Phichit seemed to hesitate, but finally nodded before slumping forward, the clip falling out of his hand, coated in small droplets of blood. The heavy feeling in the room vanished and Yuri turned to Viktor, whose eyes were wide in shock, with a look that said ‘see?!’

Viktor only continued to stare, mouth agape, not knowing what to say.

He admit he felt a little smug about being right about Yuuri and having it shoved in Viktor's face so soon after he had doubted him. He was about to taunt the man, but when he heard Phichit whimper, he knew this wasn't the time or place.

Yuuri held on tightly to the man as he hiccuped, body still trembling. “I was so scared,” he mumbled. “She was so scared, Yuuri. There wasn't even anything there, it was just… fear.”

Yuuri continued to hold him, rubbing his back. “It's alright, Phichit. You're safe,” his voice was soft and Yuri could see the tension ease off of Phichit until he was only sniffling, pulling away.

“I don't give you enough credit,” he joked lightly, giggling through his tears. “You get possessed by people all the time, you can feel what they're feeling all the time, even after last time, but are you sure that you still want to-”

“I'm fine, Phichit. You know I am,” he responded curtly. “You should rest until the séance.”

Phichit studied his face for a few seconds, but nodded.

“I'll wait with Phichit in our room until the séance,” Yuuri said, helping the man stand and walking with him to the door.

He paused, then turned to Yuri. “Would you like to wait with us?” He asked.

Yuri assumed it was because of his promise to protect him, but he didn't dwell on it too much. He nodded and followed them out.

Viktor turned to walk back to the base with the others. “We'll see what we can find until then.”

Otabek followed the man without question, while Leo and Guang-Hong looking a little torn before they turned and followed Viktor and Otabek.

***

Yuuri and Phichit's room was almost identical to his own and Viktor's. The only difference was that theirs only held two beds.

“Are you going to lay on the middle bed?” Yuuri teased.

Phichit let out a small laugh. “Yeah,” he responded childishly.

“Give me your hand first,” he said, pulling a first aid kit out of one of the larger bags.

Yuri was horrified to see it was almost the size of the suitcase. “Why the fuck do you have such a big first aid kit?!”

“A lot of stuff seems to happen on our cases,” Phichit said, eyes flitting to Yuuri for an instant.

There it was again. Yuuri had gotten hurt; enough for them to have had to lug around a whole damn hospital wing.

Yuuri kneeled in front of Phichit, who winced as Yuuri dabbed alcohol on his cut and wrapped it in bandage. “Do you want me to kiss it, too?” Yuuri joked, but Phichit nodded and held out his open hand, grinning back at him.

Yuuri laughed, but still placed a small peck on his palm. “Go to sleep. Possessions are physically and mentally exhausting and I don't want you knocking out during the séance and burning your hair.”

“That was  _one_ time,” Phichit whined, but complied, making himself comfortable.

Yuuri remained quiet until he heard Phichit's breathing change. “Do you like doing this, Yuri?” He asked, sitting on the bed closest to the door facing Phichit.

Yuri hesitated, but sat next to him. “What do you mean?”

“Viktor said that… well that you went into parapsychology because of me, and he said your grandpa was a researcher, too. I guess I'm just wondering if this is really what you want to do. I'm sorry if I'm intruding,” Yuuri said, meeting Yuri's gaze.

“If I didn't want to do it, I wouldn't,” Yuri answered, bluntly. “And you didn't ask anything wrong, Viktor's the one that needs to mind his own damn business. He had no reason to tell you tha-”

“That you've been watching me since you were 11?” Yuuri asked,  teasingly.

Yuri could feel himself turn bright red, and ducked his head, allowing his hair to hide his face.

“Aw, it's okay, Yuri,” Yuuri laughed, reaching out to touch Yuri's cheek, only to have his hand smacked away. He laughed again, but managed to bring it down to small giggles. “Really, Yuri, it's fine. I'm really grateful that you've believed me enough to watch my show for so long. I'm not usually considered a credible source, and I'm sure a lot of people you'd known would have voiced their doubts.”

Yuri peeked up through his hair to find Yuuri smiling distantly at his hands. “Yakov, my grandpa's friend, and mine and Viktor's mentor, would tell my grandpa that he didn't understand why he let me watch so much bullshit... well, not exactly like that, but it meant the same. Grandpa said it at least got me interested. I don't think he believed you much, either, but he was nicer about it,” he said, sitting up straighter and looking Yuuri in the eye.

“When we get out of here, I want to introduce you to my grandpa and rub you in Yakov's face,” he said, smirking triumphantly.

Yuuri was still for a moment before laughing again and smiling at the boy. “Alright, Yuri. Thank you.”

Yuri hummed dismissively, turning towards the window. He was honestly a little giddy about seeing the look on Yakov's face when Yuuri turned out to be everything he was on TV and more.

“I hope their reactions are as great as Viktor's,” he grinned up at Yuuri.

“Oh? How did Viktor react?” Yuuri asked, smiling mischievously.

Yuri froze, then laughed. “You knew Viktor didn't believe you?”

Yuuri's expression became serious as he locked eyes with Yuri. “Of course I did, I'm psychic.”

Yuri and Yuuri kept their eyes on one another before Yuri shoved him. “Shut the fuck up! That's such a lame joke!” He yelled, forgetting Phichit was in the room as he laughed.

“It's not a joke, I happen to be telepathic, too,” he laughed, as Yuri continued to press his weight against him, trying to shove him into the wall beside him.

“Overpowered!” Yuri yelled. “No wonder no one believes you,” he stated matter-of-factly. “If you're telepathic, then what am I thinking about right now?”

Yuuri stopped his attempts to avoid the wall and Yuri stopped pushing as he watched Yuuri consider it. “Eh… rubbing me in Yakov's face?” He guessed.

“Nope! I was thinking about cats. I was thinking about that a few minutes ago, though,” he scoffed.

“Ah, shoot. I guess I've been exposed,” Yuuri said, smiling.

“Of course you were. I'm never wrong,” Yuri said arrogantly, sitting up straighter so he could look down his nose at Yuuri.

“You like cats?” Yuuri asked.

“Who doesn't? They're the fucking best, and no one's better than my Potya.”

“Potya?” Yuuri asked, raising a brow.

“Puma Tiger Scorpion, Potya for short. He's the best cat. I've had him since I was a kid. You wanna see a picture?” He asked, already scrolling through his gallery.

Yuuri peeked up at Yuri as he scrolled through his expansive collection of pictures of Potya to see that the boy looked happy. “And that's my grandpa.”

Yuuri looked back down to find Yuri smiling brightly as an older man had set a hand on his shoulder, looking proud.

Yuuri smiled up at Yuri, straightening up again as Yuri tucked his phone away. “He looks nice.”

“He's the best,” Yuri grinned at him. It was much brighter and more pure than any expression the boy had shown him and Yuuri smiled back, setting a hand on Yuri's head.

Yuri ducked out from under it, and the two sat in silence before Yuri spoke up again.

“Hey, how's he still sleeping?”

“He's in part exhausted from the possession, and in part being influenced by me to get a proper amount of rest,” Yuuri mumbled, moving to sit at the edge of Phichit's and clear the hair out of his face.

Yuri watched Yuuri in confusion. “How?” He asked, not knowing much about Bio-PK, due to the lack of cases, but understanding it must have had some part in it.

“Well, it's a little hard to explain, but I can influence him. He was already tired, I'm just making sure we don't wake him; just keeping him asleep until the séance.”

“Can you… knock people out if you wanted to?” Yuri asked, scooting forward on the bed.

“That would take a lot of energy out of me. I usually try to only work with small things like this,” Yuuri explained. “When I used to heal people when I was younger, I slept like the dead for over half a day.”

“So… are you tired now?” He asked, and Yuuri seemed to consider before nodding.

“A bit, but I'll be fine. It's not too bad.”

Yuri hummed in response, then paused for a while. “What was it like when you were younger? I mean, you said you healed people, took care of a temple, and helped spirits pass on. You must have some cool stories.”

Yuuri looked up at him and grinned.

***

When the clock chimed six times, Yuuri shook Phichit awake, and the man sat up groggily at the first nudge, mumbling something about the time.

When he had fully woken up and had his shoes back on, all three made their way back to the base. Upon opening the door, it appeared things weren't going too well.

“-then it's too dangerous here,” Viktor stressed, clearly exasperated. It was obvious he was addressing Otabek, who looked as unmoving as a mountain. On the sidelines were Guang-Hong and Leo, who didn't look willing to get in the middle of their argument any time soon.

“We've dealt with worse things. If you want to leave, go ahead, but we're staying, especially now that we know this much,” he argued.

“I don't mean to step on any toes, Otabek, but I'm a professional, and if you are, too, you'll know when to quit. It would be for the best if the house was burned down to purify it.”

“Purify it of what?” Phichit asked, pulling up a chair.

“We haven't gotten that much information yet, but the killings have been escalating. The spirit is more than intelligent, and it doesn't seem like it's recreating anything, meaning it's clearly not earthbound, but a troubled spirit, and very troubled from what we've learned: it's developing. It has gone from suicide, to attacks, to possession, to what happened to the maid- Katerina- and the man.

“Otabek was right, the signs appeared to be warnings, but the house had been vacant for years before the boy snuck in with his friends. It probably skipped the theatrics because it hadn't killed in so long.

“The problem is that with so many killings and quite a few undiscovered bodies, including disappearances before the hauntings began, there has only appeared to be one force here. You would think that with so many unrecovered bodies, there would be several more earth bound spirits at the very least.

“It's suspicious, and it could be that the malignant spirit is gaining its strength from the spirits it traps here. That's why I think we should leave,” Viktor said, sending a piercing look at Otabek, who shrugged it off. “If it has already gotten strong enough to kill without a host, we're all in too much danger.”

“You're free to leave,” Otabek responded coldly, turning to Yuuri who was taking in the information with concern evident on his face. “If it's holding spirits here as a source of energy there might be more than you had originally seen. It's possible that it's blocking your sight.”

“We all need to leave, Yuuri. All we can do now is burn the site down to force whatever is left to pass on,” he insisted, taking a step towards the man.

“I… had promised Katerina I would find her body and bring it home. If hers is hidden somewhere here, then so are the others; they deserve to be restored to their families and given proper burials. If the fire doesn't reach them, or they don't understand that they're dead, then they won't be able to pass on,” he mumbled, turning to Phichit. “What do you think?”

“I… she deserves to be found, and so do the others,” he nodded, turning to Leo and Guang-Hong. “What about you guys?”

“The spirit that is attacking the people that have come here is concerning, but what's one more life-threatening case,” Leo joked half-heartedly.

“I agree!” Guang-Hong said, stepping closer to Leo. “We can't just leave them here.”

Yuuri nodded and turned to Viktor. “We're staying. Please try not to burn the house down with us in it,” he teased, causing a small smile to spread on his serious face.

“I guess… we'll stay too, as your support,” Viktor sighed, smirking at Yuuri, who met his gaze head on.

“You're acting as if I would've left with you, shitty old man,” Yuri spat, taking a step closer to Yuuri and Phichit.

Viktor pressed a hand over his heart, gasping dramatically. “Are you truly willing to abandon me? Your mentor? Your family? Your idol?” Viktor asked, earning an indignant squawk from Yuri.

“Fuck you! Who's stupid enough to idolize you?!” He yelled back, stomping his foot.

Viktor laughed, missing the way Yuuri blushed and ducked his head.

“We should go get things ready,” Guang-Hong said, drawing the attention to himself.

Viktor stopped in the middle of teasing Yuri, and nodded.

“Yeah, the sun has almost set.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm getting slower… but it's been less than a week and that's all that matters :D? 
> 
> I'm seriously trying to get this done before school starts and that's in two weeks OAO. 
> 
> In other news, I shouldn't be let out of the house with my money alone because I just bought a teapot, even though I don't own tea. My solution was not ‘put it back’ it was ‘BUY ALL THE TEA.’
> 
> I'm on my third cup, third type, and I don't feel so good XD. 
> 
> ANYWAY, thanks so much for the comments, kudos, bookmarks, and stuff :D!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry! This grew too long, so I split it, and I didn't mean for the cliffhanger, but there wasn't anywhere else to cut it! Also, I'm not giving the two ladies a name because they aren't important and I don't like giving random minor OCs I throw in a huge role or a clear identity. I had to for the random maid, but that's just cuz I couldn't have Yuuri calling her "the maid" would've been rude, especially cuz she's dead XD.
> 
> ALSO, shiki generally take the form of animals or something, I can't totally remember, but they were lights in the anime and I thought it would be neater as lights, so they're lights.

JJ and his team had left minutes before preparations for the séance began, bidding their farewells and wishing the people that remained luck. JJ had even pulled Phichit, Yuuri, and Viktor aside, asking the duo for a crossover, and handing Yuuri his information. Phichit plucked it from Yuuri's hands gladly, waving him off, and telling him how much he would look forward to it. He then handed it to Viktor as well, “just in case” he had said, and had left with a final goodbye and a wink.

At a little past sundown, the woman and her assistant came looking for Yuuri, and an empty room was chosen to be set up with three candles, a night vision camera, and a round table, along with a few chairs.

After everything was said and done, it was completely dark outside and only five chairs were set up, and Yuri had to put up with the fact that he didn't get to sit at the important table and was left to stand with the other assistants. He huffed and glared at Viktor and the two women, but decided he wouldn't throw a fit and make himself seem even more deserving of his place by being childish. At least he was allowed in the room, considering that Viktor didn't even want him in the house or on the case. 

At the table, Yuuri sat with Phichit and Viktor on each side of his own seat, and the woman and  _ her _ assistant on the last two seats. 

Meanwhile, he, Leo, Guang-Hong, and Otabek stood. When it was time to start, Guang-Hong went to turn off the lights, and Leo drew the curtains, leaving the candles as the only source of light in the room. 

Yuri watched them set up a little skeptically. Sure, he believed in ghosts and had seen Yuuri channel them on TV, but experiencing preparations for such a thing was a little hard to believe. At the same time, his heart was pounding in anticipation and at the reality of the situation. 

He kept his mouth shut, crossing his arms to keep them from shaking, and stood against the wall beside Otabek who had a professional look about him; he was standing with his attention firmly focused on the table of investigators, completely unfazed. 

Finally, Yuuri took a deep breath and everything seemed to become even more quiet than usual; even the crickets seemed to stop chirping, and a stillness settled over the room.

“I'd like you all to close your eyes and call upon the spirits living here,” he instructed, joining hands with Viktor and Phichit, who linked hands with the woman and her assistant, forming a complete circle. He then nodded and closed his eyes.   
  
“Spirits of the past, move among us. Be guided by the light of this world and visit upon us,” he called out clearly. 

Nothing happened and Yuri let out a breath he had been holding at the anticlimactic response and slouched against the wall. Yuuri called out again, just as calmly and before and Yuri felt almost disappointed. 

At least he wasn’t making up excuses, he thought, watching for anything unusual. The only thing to happen was that candles’ flames flickered, but he thought nothing of it, until the three men at his side tensed. 

He straightened slowly, noticing that Yuuri had jerked back in his seat and ducked his head, still holding Viktor and Phichit's hands. He took in a few labored breaths, before his shoulders began to quake lightly. 

Yuri turned to Otabek, who kept his eyes fixed firmly on Yuuri.

“ _ You should have left when you had the chance,”  _ Yuuri said in a voice that was much too harsh to belong to the soft spoken, polite man, and Yuri's attention swung back to him.

He peered up, eyes open, and with a malicious smile on his lips. 

“What is your name?” Phichit asked, turning dark eyes to himself. “Answer me, what is your name and are you the one who has hurt the inhabitants of this house?” He said, voice becoming louder. 

“ _ You're all going to die here. There's no more chance of escape,” _ Yuuri snarled. 

The walls in the room began to pulse as loud banging noises echoed all around them. Yuri backed away and towards the center of the room, along with the others. 

“ _ The boy is going to die first,” _ Yuuri laughed. 

Yuri spun around to find his eyes focused on him: cold, sinister eyes of a predator. His own eyes flickered momentarily to Viktor, who looked just as uncertain as Yuri.  

“That's enough! Leave now! Blow out the candles, break the circle!” Phichit commanded, eyes flitting between Yuuri and Yuri. “Get him out of here,” he yelled, tearing his hand out of Yuuri's grasp, and Yuri saw him lean over to grab the candles, before he was tugged away. Leo, Guang-Hong, and Otabek quickly responded, taking a shocked Yuri by the arm and guiding him towards the door.

It was just out of their grasp when Phichit and the women's startled screams were all that warned them of the table that was suddenly hurled at them, extinguishing the candles as it crashed to the floor and left them in total darkness.

Luckily, or not, the table exploded a foot beside them, making the others lose grasp of him in the dark. He felt unsure and unstable without anyone's presence to tie him down in the  pitch black room, and his heart was beating rapidly against his ribs. “Otabek? Viktor?” He called out, reaching out to try and find them. 

He didn't have time to respond as hands wrapped themselves around his throat and he was pressed against the wall, his head colliding with the door with incredible force. He cried out, before quickly realizing it was a mistake as his air supply was cut off. He was all but lifted off the ground, and he couldn't even see what was doing this, and he was almost thankful for it; thankful he couldn't see Yuuri's face as he pressed the life out of him.

“Yura?!” He heard Viktor call out, but couldn't respond. “The lights, where are the fucking lights?!” He growled. 

“Guang-Hong, do something!” Otabek called out. Why did they sound so far? 

His eyes flit around the room, finding nothing but darkness as he desperately clawed at the hands holding him. Still, they only squeezed harder, and everything in his mind screamed for someone to do something, to help him. 

A burst of light suddenly exploded through the darkness and pushed whoever was holding Yuri back before three more appeared and surrounded Yuuri’s form.

Otabek and Viktor used that bit of light to find Yuri and rush to his side to look him over as best as they could, before Viktor got up and started looking for something against the walls.

A fifth light sprouted from Yuuri and attempted to push back, managing to hit Guang-Hong, but he didn't relent. 

Leo was standing beside him, muttering a prayer. “Phichit, fudou shichi bakou!” He called to the man who nodded.

“Rin, pyo, toh-” 

“Stop! You're not supposed to use that on a person!” Yuri coughed out, trying to approach Phichit, but was held in place by Otabek.

“Sha, kai, jin, retsu, zai, zen!” He finished, and Yuuri's form became completely still as Leo approached him, Bible in one hand and a small vial in the other. 

He snarled at him, but Leo continued forward. “I order you, in the name of christ to expose yourself, no matter where you are hidden. Go immediately. No matter where you are, leave and seek not a body devoted to the lord. Everybody blessed by the holy trinity has forever banned your existence,” he prayed, moving the hand that held the vial in the shape of a cross. “In principio,” he concluded, and with that, Yuuri's body crumpled to the ground.

Viktor flicked on the lights to reveal his form sprawled on the hardwood floor, unmoving. 

“Yuuri!” Phichit called, kneeling beside him. Yuri peeked over Otabek's arm to see him feel his neck for a pulse, then press his ear to his chest. “He's fine,” he sighed. “His body must not have been able to take all that at once. He'll be mortified when he wakes up, but he should be okay.” 

“I am terribly sorry!” He heard the woman say to Phichit. “If we had known this would have happened, we never would have suggested-”

“Yuri, are you okay?” Viktor asked, take a hesitant step towards Yuri's trembling form, and diverting his attention. 

“Y-yeah, of course, dumbass. Why wouldn't I be?” He responded, ducking his head so that Viktor wouldn't see that he was on the brink of tears.

Otabek stood him up and released him, and Yuri could feel both of their attention on him. He blinked, trying to regain control of the spinning room, wincing at the throbbing pain in the back of his head. Still, he wouldn't back down. He wasn't going to give Viktor another reason to want to send him away.

“Yura, it's okay to be scared,” Viktor said, taking another step towards Yuri. 

“I'm fine!” He yelled, voice cracking. He took a few shaky breaths, unwilling to look up. “Is he going to be okay?” 

“Yeah,” Phichit answered. “He bounces back pretty quickly, and really, ma'am, it's no problem. Yuuri's strong, and I'm sure he knew this was a possibility when you had asked. Well… not the attack- sorry Yuri, Viktor- but he knew that the situation wouldn't get too out of hand. No one is at fault but the spirit that caused this.” 

“What a waste of time. He went through all that and we didn't learn shit,” Yuri grumbled. 

“Yeah,” Leo said with a light laugh. “It happens. Waste of a table, too...” 

It got quiet for a few seconds longer before Phichit cleared his throat. “Leo, Otabek, take Yuuri to our room. Guang-Hong and I will go look over the footage with Viktor and Yuri and do some more research on the house.” 

“Do you think that's smart, Phichit? Do you honestly think we're going to be okay like this? I mean, the professor and her assistant don't have anyone to protect them, and with Yuuri out, we only have two people strong enough to protect anyone,” Guang-Hong nervously explained. “Like this, there's 2 to protect 6 of you, and if you split us up, there'll only be 1 for five.

“The spirit was even able to stay in Yuuri after the candles were blown out and the circle was broken. It shouldn't have been able to do that, you know that just as well as I do. Maybe we should all stick together? We can bring some blankets and just all sleep on the floor together.” 

“That's fine with us, sorry for all the trouble. We'll leave first thing in the morning. This is too far out of our league and we don't want to inconvenience you further,” the older woman said, with a small bow.

Phichit looked like he was considering it for a while before he nodded. “It might be a little uncomfortable, but I think it's for the best, and don't worry, we'll gladly take care of your safety until then.”

“I agree,” Viktor added. “We can all go together to gather supplies, aside from that, if we're ever separated, it would be best to remain in pairs, and keep in constant contact with the others over your whereabouts. I have some walkie talkies with my other equipment. If you ever need to leave, make sure you take one with you.” 

***

Yuuri had been carried from room to room with their large group by Otabek, who didn't even look like he was breaking a sweat. Yuri figured this was what he meant when he said Otabek was their muscle, and he couldn't deny feeling mildly impressed. Still, he kept it to himself, and continued on, hugging several blankets to his chest, with his suitcase hooked onto his arm.

After they had returned to their base, they thought it best to simply set up there so that they wouldn't be moving back and forth after they had reviewed the footage. Yuuri's place on the floor had been set up first and he was gently laid under the covers before the others returned to the matter at hand and continued their research.

Viktor and Yuri viewed the footage, trying to find any anomalies, or other things that their camera might have picked up that they couldn't, while Otabek, Leo, and Guang-Hong picked up where their earlier research had left them. The professor and her assistant sat by Yuuri's side, watching over him in case anything happened. 

Yuri spared them a glance, noticing the way the older woman laid a gentle hand on his forehead to check his temperature, while the other looked worried and guilt ridden. 

Yuri shook his head, turning back to Viktor as he insert the tape. They had no business here, anymore. They couldn't contribute to the investigation, and were only an added load on all of their backs.  _ They _ were the ones that needed to be sent home. Yuri wasn't even sure they came to solve the case, their focus had been on Yuuri and his abilities. It was probably just a safer way to look into the man without making it seem like they believed him in case he wasn't the real deal. At least now they knew, Yuri scoffed, focusing on the screen as it lit up. 

He watched as Yuuri started the séance, and noticed that something moved from the walls and darted into Yuuri seconds before everything happened, causing the flame in the candles to flicker. 

Yuri refused to look away as he saw the terror in his eyes when Yuuri had all but declared him a dead man walking, heard it in his voice when he called for Viktor and Otabek, and saw his eyes frantically search in vain after Yuuri pinned him to the wall, rushing at him with eyes that looked to kill. 

He saw Viktor shift, and turned his attention to him to see that his jaw was clenched, his hand fisted at his mouth, while the other was curled tight on the table. Yuri focused on the screen again when he heard Otabek yell at Guang-Hong. He saw the boy release a beam of light-like energy and paused the footage.

“What is that?” He asked Viktor.

The man blinked out of his trance, becoming less tense before he turned to him, then back to the screen. “Those are probably his shikigami,” he explained as if that answer would mean anything to Yuri.

“ _ Okay _ , and what the fuck is a shikigami?” He asked, clearly irritated. 

“Onmyoji are able to pull spirits or minor demons from the aether and make them do their bidding. It takes great skill and control because if the onmyoji aren't strong enough they can turn on them. The fact that Guang-Hong is able to manage four is incredibly impressive,” Viktor explains.

“ _ Four _ ?” Yuri asks, remembering 5 light streaks. “So then…” 

“Yeah, looks like Yuuri has one,” Viktor said, turning to look at the sleeping man. “I don't think I've given him enough credit for how amazing he is. Every time I think I've seen all there is to him, he surprises me again. I'm a bit embarrassed to say I didn't think him fully capable of keeping you safe,” Viktor told Yuri. 

Yuri scoffed, turning back to the screen. He quickly paused it again. “This too!” Yuri shouted, pointing at Phichit's figure. “Yuuri said I couldn't use the nine cuts on a person, but he used it on Yuuri and he was perfectly fine!” 

Viktor hummed. “Yuuri taught you how to exorcise a spirit with the nine cuts. Any method of exorcism is dangerous if you aren't trained properly. The nine cuts can be used in many ways, but the way Phichit used his energy  is called ‘fudou shichi bakou.’ It's a type of hypnosis to keep Yuuri immobile while Leo exorcised him. 

“You've seen footage of people being exorcised, Yura. It can be harmful to both the one exorcising and the one being exorcised. It was for the best that they bound him before he could do any more to anyone or to Yuuri, himself.”

Yuri nodded along slowly, then played the footage again. This time, they watched it uninterrupted until the end. The same thing that went into Yuuri escaped back towards the wall before the exorcism had even concluded. 

“It looks like it might still be here,” Viktor mumbled. 

“If it came from the wall directly in front of Yuuri, then that would be…” Yuri matched the angle the camera had to where he stood in the base. “There,” he said, pointing to the wall adjacent to the one with the door. 

Viktor nodded. “The sitting room is that way, too.” He sighed, resting his head in his hands. “In the end, we learned near nothing.” 

Viktor let out a huff, but rewinded the footage anyway, replaying it from the beginning again. They watched the entirety of the film three more times, pointing out little things like the force it might have taken to throw the table and whether Yuuri actually possessed that kind of strength, or the way that the table had managed to miss them (Viktor had admit to shifting the table a second before Yuuri had thrown it to keep it from actually hitting any of them). 

“Let's see how the others are doing,” Viktor stated, clearly annoyed that their side had been mostly fruitless.

When he stood, Yuri noticed something fall out of his pocket, but figured it was probably JJs number, and paid it no mind. It would be a suitable excuse to never see that asshole again. 

He followed the man to the table where the other three were currently investigating on their own. “Have you found anything of any use? The recording of the séance left us with nothing, but the knowledge that the spirit might still be here.” 

Otabek nodded, turning his screen to face Viktor and Yuri. “It took us a while to trace the activity back to the beginning, but we managed to pull up disappearances dating back almost seventy years. The local newspaper archived all of their issues far back enough for us to estimate the time. 

“Since about the mid 1950s there have been a lot of odd disappearances in the area surrounding this house. Almost thirty people: campers, hitchhikers, backpackers, whole families have vanished into the woods all around here. Of course, back then, the forest was much more dense, and it was easy to get lost in, especially at night and with the small dirt road it used to have. Now there's all kinds of signs, and road blocks.

“Anyway, the disappearances  _ were _ considered strange, but nothing too unexpected, and nothing could really be done due to the size. It wasn't until a few years later, when the local newspaper had issued several warnings about going into the forest that people disappeared from the town at random. 

“Anyone could vanish: men, women, kids, adults, teenagers, the elderly. It was inconsistent, but the breaks were never longer than a month. There was a widespread hysteria, and several people left the town. Still, one family, or rather, one person's presence remained consistent through all that. 

“There was a man that lived alone in this house after his wife and stepson mysteriously vanished like all the others. Despite this house being so deep into the forest, he was never harmed. 

“Police attempted to search the premises, but were unable to obtain a warrant. There's controversy over why; some say the judge was paid off, while the official reason is that there was no basis for the accusations, seeing as he had lost his own family, as well. 

“The interesting thing is,” Otabek said, pulling out the blueprint of the current home, and the records of the investigation. “Shortly after the investigation fell through, the house was expanded. The sitting room was one of the newest additions, getting dropped directly over a well that had been on the land,” he said, sitting back. 

“There was no reason to add more rooms, seeing as the man wasn't very social, and even lived by himself,” Leo added. “Either way, after he died, the home was sold and that's when the activity started, adding another maybe 7 deaths in the household before Ms. Baranovskaya's and 9 during her own.” 

“We've currently only matched about half of the deaths with a face and information,” Guang-Hong said, looking troubled. “We did manage to at least come up with the man's identity, but that does near nothing for us now. We don't know why he's still killing, and it's too dangerous to summon his spirit to ask.” 

Viktor paused for a few seconds, glossing over the information before he nodded. “You're all quite thorough in your research. Yuuri has an incredibly capable team,” he praised. “I had been wondering why Yuuri had had you pull up a blueprint, and it seems he had already been going in a certain direction when he was coming in.” 

“I'm sure you've found that Yuuri is very capable,” Phichit said, sending Viktor a light smirk. 

“Of course, but, quick question,” Viktor said, smiling mischievously. “If the investigation fell through, how exactly were you able to pull up the files? I can't imagine that the local police database is open to the public.” 

Otabek sent him his own smirk. “We have our own ways.” 

Yuri stared wide eyed at the implications. “That’s so  _ cool,” _ he heard himself say before he could stop himself. 

Viktor laughed beside him. “It's certainly useful. Yuuri's team seems to be keeping a lot of secrets,” he hummed. “But back to the matter at hand, why was the house never cleansed- That's to say, why are we the first to attempt to solve this case?” 

“We… Aren't,” Phichit mumbled. 

Viktor's brow creased. “What do you mean?” 

“There was… a specialist that came in in the last household. They attempted a cleansing, but while it was happening, one of the windows shattered. He was too close… and… Well,” Phichit trailed off, tracing his finger across his neck. “One of the 7.” 

“That's… not good.” 

“No fucking shit! He  _ died _ ?! Is this that shit you were talking about?” He asked turning to Leo.

“Ah… yeah. We've had a few close calls during some of our exorcisms and cleansings. I've been hospitalized about three times.” 

“Me once,” Guang-Hong added. 

“I… more times than I care to admit,” Phichit chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. 

“And Yuuri more than all of us combined.” 

“Last time was a really close call,” Guang-Hong mumbled, looking down at his hands. 

“What we're trying to say,” Otabek interjected, “is that we do all this research, take all this time, and have all these people because we know what can happen if we jump the gun.” 

Yuri saw Viktor nod and his expression closed off again. He knew what this was: Viktor had miscalculated to the point of insult. Viktor  _ never _ miscalculated. He was a perfectionist, he was smart, he was a  _ prodigy _ . 

And yet… And yet, and yet. He was so incredibly wrong about Yuuri. He was so incredibly wrong about his abilities, his talents, his experiences. He had called Yuuri a fake and said he was only a great actor. 

Even if he had realized he was wrong earlier that day, the full force of it had hit him with the new information. He was angry with himself, which meant he had closed in on himself. Great, just what Yuri needed. 

“ _ You need to stop feeling bad for yourself and remember that you can't keep disappearing into your own world while we're here,”  _ Yuri snapped at him in his native tongue. 

Viktor's head snapped up to look at him, but he did nothing but nod. 

“ _ It's your fault for not listening to me _ ,” Yuri added.  _ “I told you they were the real deal, and that Yuuri was too nice for that bullshit. Still,”  _ he said smiling mischievously at him as he pulled up a seat. “ _ You shouldn't worry too much about thinking shitty things about Yuuri. He already knew you hadn't believed him.”  _

Viktor's eyes widened before they narrowed. “ _ How's that supposed to keep me from worrying any more?”  _ He hissed back. 

Yuri shrugged, playing with a strand of his hair. “ _ He still talks to you, doesn't he? He thought your reaction when you saw him exorcise Phichit was funny. _ ” 

Viktor turned red, much to Yuri's pleasure. “ _ I'm sending you home,” _ he threatened, but it did nothing to wipe the smile off of Yuri's face. 

“ _ You can't. If you do, it would just be telling Yuuri that you still don't trust him or his ability to keep me safe and you would make him feel bad for what happened today,” _ he grinned. 

Beside him, he heard Otabek let out a small chuckle. His attention swung from Viktor to him in mild alarm. “Russian?” 

“Kazakhstani,” he responded, trying to keep the smile off his face. 

“Didn't anyone ever tell you it was rude to eavesdrop?” 

“Didn't anyone ever tell you it was rude to speak a foreign language in front of others?” 

Yuri's response was cut off when the younger woman called out to them.

“I think he's waking up,” she said, causing everyone to rush to Yuuri's side.

The second Yuri stood to follow, he felt the everything spin, and leaned against the table to keep himself from falling over. He blinked rapidly, took in a breath, and carefully made his way over to the others, noticing the way Otabek was watching him. He waved him off and turned away. 

“Get back! Give him some space,” Phichit scolded, just as he saw Yuuri's eyelids flutter before fully opening. He blinked a few times, before his eyes rested on Viktor's.

“Viktor?” He asked, looking at the man smiling down at him. 

“Thanks, Yuuri. Glad to know who the favorite is,” Phichit teased, making Yuuri blush and sit up abruptly. 

“The séance. What happened?” He asked, eyes darting to anyone who could give him an answer.

Everyone seemed to be avoiding eye contact, allowing Yuuri to grow increasingly agitated. “What  _ happened _ ?” He asked again, demanding an answer more than asking for one this time.

“We have footage… if you want to see for yourself,” Viktor said. 

Yuuri nodded, and Viktor helped him to his feet and to the monitors as everyone cleared the way and followed them to the equipment. Yuuri sat himself in a chair before the screen that currently showed Yuuri's collapsed form and looked up to Viktor. 

He leaned over him, rewinding the events and remaining quiet as Yuuri's eyes quickly flit over the monitor, following every motion. 

Yuri paid close attention to his reactions, noticing how he had brought his hands up to cover his mouth when his form attacked Yuri and had to be put down and exorcised by his friends, flinching occasionally. When it was over, Yuuri looked ready to cry. 

“I'm so sorry,” Yuuri said after he had finished watching the tape. 

His eyes were glued on Yuri who felt overwhelmed by the emotion in Yuuri's eyes. He looked a mixture of scared and devastated and it was too much for Yuri. He didn't know how to deal with this; he didn't know how to make him feel better.

“What the hell are you apologizing for? It wasn't your fault,” Yuri said, turning away. 

Still, Yuuri pressed on, making Yuri feel even more guilty as the source of Yuuri's own suffering.

“I was supposed to protect you,” Yuuri mumbled, looking down at his hands. 

“Look, I'm fine okay? I'm not blaming you for shit, so you should stop blaming yourself, too. I'm alive, so just do a better job after this and there's no problem, right?” He finally snapped back, frustration seeping into his tone. 

Yuuri's eyes widened for a moment before he smiled and let out a small laugh. “Right. I'll do better next time.” He stood and pulled Yuri into a hug, and much to his own surprise, he didn't fight back. Of course, he didn't hug back, either, but not like he was expected to, and Yuuri pulled away too fast, anyway. 

“How are you feeling, though?” Viktor asked Yuuri softly. “Being influenced by such a negative energy must have taken quite a toll on you.” Viktor tilted his head up to get a better look at his face. Yuri made a sound of disgust, and busied himself with the footage of the other rooms.

Yuuri turned a bright red, eyes shifting to his team, who averted their eyes, moving to start laying down their own beds, and organizing their research.

He still needed to take a look at that, he thought distantly, although most of his current attention was fixed on the concerned man in front of him. 

“I-I'm sure I'll manage, t-thank you,” Yuuri stuttered. He gently removed Viktor's hand from his chin, but kept it held in his two. “I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise,” he said, turning his attention to the floor. “I shouldn't have done the séance. I should've known I wouldn't have been able to protect Yuri if I was possessed. I'm so sorry. I was careless and he got hurt because of me.”

“You're just as much a victim ask Yura,” Viktor assured him. 

“Not nearly as much,” Yuuri mumbled, looking down at his clawed up hands. 

“We should take care of that. The kitten did quite a number on you, himself,” Viktor joked, smiling gently at Yuuri, before he went to get the first aid kit they had brought in along with the bedding.

Yuri trudged over to Yuuri, peeking at his hands. “I'm… Sorry,” he mumbled, barely above a whisper.

Yuuri shook his head and smiled reassuringly. “It's not your fault.” He tilted Yuri's head up, taking in the red, hand shaped blotches around his neck. “It looks like it's going to bruise. How's your throat feeling? Does it hurt to swallow? And your head, it hit the wall pretty hard. Here, turn around,” Yuuri instructed.

“I'm fine,” Yuri growled half heartedly, but turned anyway. He hissed when he felt pressure against the bump at the back of his head, but the pain slowly subsided and a veil felt like it had been lifted from his senses. 

Yuuri made a concerned noise as he pet Yuri's hair. “You should have told someone about your head. You could have had a concussion. Are you sure your throat is okay, though?” 

Yuri nodded, pulling away from Yuuri.

To be completely honest, his throat felt a bit sore, and he knew  _ very well _ it was going to bruise; he could feel it, but Yuuri looked upset enough. Besides, he could deal with a little discomfort. 

Viktor came back, and started wrapping Yuuri's hands as the man blushed and tried to argue with him that he could do it himself, and even Yuri felt a little inclined to argue that he should be the one to do it, considering they were his fault, but he couldn't bring himself to speak. 

The softness in his and Yuuri's eyes when they looked at each other told Yuri that this was something for just the two of them. Viktor, in particular, looked more content than he'd seen him in someone else's presence in a long time. His eyes seemed to light up and his smile and laugh were more sincere than they had been in a while. Apart from the way he seemed to be drawn to Yuuri, this was Viktor attempting to redeem himself to someone he knew incredibly well deserved an apology. If not for Yuuri, who didn't seem to feel wronged, then for himself. He wanted to be better to and for him.

Yuri stepped away to set up his own place on the floor, and Viktor's too, but only because the dumbass seemed to have forgotten to do it himself and he wasn't about to have Viktor making noise when he was nice and comfortable, trying to sleep.

Once it was done, at the center of the room from the window to the door, they were set up in order of Leo, Guang-Hong, Otabek, Phichit, Yuuri, Yuri, and Viktor. A little bit away, on the side opposite of them, were the woman and her assistant.

“To think we've only been here one day,” Leo mumbled as he laid down. Otabek chuckled and nodded, while Guang-Hong smiled gently at Leo. 

“At least we were able to endure it together.” 

“It was still one hell of a day,” Phichit yawned, stretching as he made himself comfortable. “I’m all tuckered out.” 

Yuri stared at him incredulously. “You just fucking woke up.” 

“I'm a growing boy!” 

Yuri scoffed, and settled himself, with his back to Phichit, burrowing himself further into the blankets. “Viktor, turn off the lights when you're done flirting!” He called out, eliciting a startled noise from Yuuri, and a heartfelt laugh from Viktor. 

He felt himself smile too as he closed his eyes, letting the exhaustion from the day lull him to sleep. 

***

Yuri's unconscious form tossed and turned as he was overcome by another nightmarish like vision.

***

_ Yuri sat up, looking around the room for the source of whatever had woken him up. On each side of him were Viktor and Yuuri, sleeping peacefully. He glanced around the room: he was the only one awake, but it didn't look like it would stay that way for long.  _

_ The assistant woman sat up abruptly and looked around. “Hello?” She asked, voice shaking. _

_ “Hey, you okay?” Yuri asked in a hushed tone, but the woman didn't seem to see  _ or  _ hear him as she called out again. _

_ “Where did everybody go?” Yuri looked around again, and found that everyone was still in place. _

_ “Bitch, are you blind or stupid? We're all right here!” He yelled with no regard for his sleeping companions, still, the woman looked around, lost and scared.  _

_ She quickly stood and made her way to the door.  _

_ “Stop! Don't do that! You can't go alone!” He yelled, standing up and running over to stop her.  _

_ He grabbed at her hand, only to have it pass right through her.  _

_ He froze for a second before looking back to find his own body, but as he turned, his eyes caught on a form standing at the corner by the door, watching them.  _

_ He took in a shaky breath before steeling himself. “Just stay the hell away from us you sick fuck!” He yelled at it. The figure only stared. _

_ Yuri took a hesitant step back, scared that it might step closer, but even more scared of what it could do to him when he was like this. The shadow, luckily, didn't step any closer. It looked over the sleeping forms of everybody in the room before fixing Yuri with a long, hard look, then, it stepped through the wall and vanished. _

_ Suddenly, a flash of a new scene appeared before him, and he saw himself as he had been earlier, gasping for breath as Yuuri squeezed the life out of him, before it seemed to shift, and Yuuri was the one pressed against the wall, with Viktor grinning like a psychopath down at him. They weren't in the room where the séance was anymore, they were closer to the kitchens and the dining room, judging from the chair he saw peeking through the open archway. _

_ The view flickered just as Yuuri's body went completely limp, and he was back at their base. _

_ “No way…” he mumbled, unsure of what or why he had seen that at all, but he was quickly brought back to what was happening by the sound of the door closing softly.  _

_ “Shit!” He yelled. “Shit! Shit! I need to wake up!” He said, running back to his body. “Wake up! Hey! Wake up!” His form tossed and turned, but his eyes didn't open. He laid back onto his form and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to will himself awake.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I crashed into the pole the other day. It helped with describing how Yuri felt after being knocked against the wall XD. I still have a bit of a bruise... XD
> 
> Looking back at it... Maybe I made a bit of a mistake writing the summary in Viktor's perspective... I mean, I have written in his perspective, but it's mostly Yuri's, isnt it? Oh well, I guess! 
> 
> Walkie talkie is a stupid name for a thing and I hate writing it e.e
> 
> Anyway! Thank you so much for leaving kudos, comments, bookmarking, or even just reading :D! I really appreciate it! 
> 
> (I'm not finishing this before the 29th...)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been holding onto this because I wasn't satisfied with it for, like, ever, but if I keep doing that I won't ever post it. It's as good as it can be and so I'm letting it go XD. Here you go...

When he next opened his eyes,  the room appeared much more clearly than in his hazy dream, although the darkness was more profound, enveloping the room and everyone in it. He blinked rapidly, trying to adjust his eyes to it as he pat around, looking for at least his phone to provide a light source, but coming up with nothing. The glowing red dot from the camera was the only light Yuri had at his disposal, but once his eyes got used to the darkness, it was more than enough to see that the woman was still missing. 

He let out a curse and shot up, accidentally knocking into Viktor as he sprinted to and out the door; he faintly heard the sound of Viktor calling him before it slammed shut, but couldn't be bothered to focus on that now. That woman was out there; that  _ thing _ was out there, and Yuri needed to help her.

_ The sitting room _ , something in his mind shouted at him. It flashed images of the woman going in, unaware of the shadow that stood just at the entrance as she stepped in, and Yuri hoped and prayed that it hadn't happened yet. 

His mind kept flashing the scene, projecting its urgency, and Yuri felt fear drive him faster in the direction of it, turning through the dark halls on instinct. He ran as quickly as he could, with his socked feet sliding on the wood and making him stumble every now and then.

Still, he didn't slow down. He didn't know what he would do if she was already in the room. He didn't know what he  _ could  _ do, but he knew he wouldn't let her die. If anything, Viktor was probably just behind him. He'd find him, he told himself, unwilling to think otherwise.

Just as he turned into the hall with the room, he saw the woman at the door, her hand already on the handle.

“ _ Stop _ !” he yelled, completely out of breath, but it seemed that she had heard him. She flinched, then turned, shocked at the sight of him. 

“Where did you…?” She trailed off, and Yuri knew what she was going to say. She had no idea as to where he had come from. She was alone in that room. As far as she knew, everyone had disappeared.

“We have to go back,” he said, pulling her hand off the door handle, and clicking it shut as he took her arm and started dragging her back. “We need to go back now! We aren't supposed to be out here alone.” 

The walls started pounding again and a growl could be heard just on the other side of the door to the sitting room. The two jumped back before Yuri gave a sharp tug, tearing her attention away from the door, and started running back towards the base, trying to remember the direction he had come in. 

He gasped as the floor suddenly started to jump out at them, tripping them, while the pounding against the walls and the occasional snarls made it hard for him to think rationally as they ran through the house, unsure of where they were going at this point. Yuri hoped for either the base  _ or _ the exit at this point, as the halls stretched and stretched until he felt as if they weren't moving forward at all. He began to feel desperate as the snarling and pounding grew louder, but managed to ground himself- at least a little bit- from the pain in his hand as the woman's nails dug into the flesh. He couldn't even bring himself to yell at her for it.

She was scared. 

Of course she was, he was, too, and at least it kept him from losing his fucking mind and breaking down then and there at how hopeless he felt.

It was almost as if even the house was working against them at this point; the passages felt like they had narrowed to the point where two people didn't fit, and the woman was just behind him, her hand desperately holding onto his. 

Suddenly, it was yanked away, and he quickly spun around to see her pinned against the wall, eyes watering as a shadowed form loomed over her. Yuri watched, frozen as the source of their problems- the thing that had used Yuuri to hurt him only hours earlier- stood before him, a form of its own. 

A hand lifted to the woman's face, and Yuri could only look on as a single swipe left her face with three bloody scratches that quickly began to run blood down her face. She shrieked in a way that made Yuri's stomach lurch. He recovered when he saw its hand shoot in her direction again; he wouldn't let it attack again.

“Rin, pyo, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, zai, zen,” Yuri called, quickly weaving the spell. 

The shadow dispersed and the woman rushed away from the walls, still sobbing as a hand shielded her bleeding face. More forms were sprouting, and both Yuri and the woman stood at the center, but there wasn't much distance left between themselves and the walls anymore and it was so many;  _ too many _ . 

Yuri's heart was in his throat as the forms pulled themselves out of the walls, now mere inches away from them. There shouldn't even  _ be  _ this many! One man had done this!  _ One _ ! Yuri could at least imagine half a chance against one, but not this many.

_ Help. _

He needed someone to help them. He couldn't do this alone, he had known near nothing about these kinds of things before this case. He was scared; he was overwhelmed, and they kept drawing closer, and the woman wouldn't shut up, and the walls. The walls kept knocking closer and closer, and everything was so loud. 

_ Pride be damned _ , he thought. Yuuri had told him to run and find someone else after he had cast the warding spell, and since that wasn't possible, he would make sure they got to him. “Viktor!” He yelled as loudly as his lungs would allow him. “ _ Viktor _ !  _ Yuuri _ !” He cried once again, his voice bouncing off the walls. 

The figures grabbed at him and the woman, as Yuri kicked and screamed. His feet were suddenly yanked out from under him, sending him crashing against the hard floor, and bruising his shoulder. He fought as hard as he could, panting from the exertion, but it was no hope. He was being dragged, and he could hear the woman just a few feet away yelling and struggling, too. All the while, he was screaming, calling out for Viktor and Yuuri. 

The door to the sitting room grew closer and closer, and Yuri's screams grew louder, his already sore throat beginning to hurt more and more, and his voice became quaky as he felt his eyes start to water.

Yuri wasn't going to let himself die like this. He refused to accept this kind of fate, but more than anything he wouldn't let Viktor be right about this. Yet, despite his determination, Yuri could feel himself growing weaker, and his limbs growing heavier, as his voice began to fade. Loud, rapid footsteps could be heard getting closer and Yuri called out as loudly as he was able to, which was barely beyond a whisper at this point, but they must have heard him.

Viktor and Yuuri stumbled into the hallway just as Yuri felt his energy become drained, knocking the walls back to their original location on their presence alone.

The same white light that had appeared earlier came back again and quickly shot through the shadowed forms while Viktor began reciting scripture as he released a spray of holy water from a small vial in his hands. Yuri felt his energy hit him like a truck when it returned and felt whatever had grabbed him let go. He scrambled to his feet and away from the room as soon as they had. The woman seemed to attempt to do the same, but winced when she put pressure on her left foot and fell forward. The blood was dribbling down her face, and had her closing one eye to keep it from getting in. 

Yuri grit his teeth, but went back and helped her up and towards the others, anyway. He was an asshole, but he wasn't  _ that _ much of an asshole, he told himself, wiping the blood off her face a little too roughly with his shirt. Besides, Yuuri and Viktor were there now.

When one of Yuuri's shiki rushed past them, he noticed a flash of red and purplish blotches on her ankle and the gleam of the blood that had already reached her chin. Her ankle must be sprained at the very least, but the cuts on her face looked deep. 

He felt a small pang at the bit of his mind that registered that she had  _ actually  _ been hurt by it without it even having a host. 

It had  _ grabbed _ them on its own.

Eventually, the room cleared up and Yuuri and Viktor stood panting, but visibly relieved. 

Viktor pulled out his walkie talkie and held it up to his face. “This is Viktor, we've found Yuri and the girl and are heading back, stay in the room and if you need to leave for any reason, stick together and make sure you take a walkie talkie with you. There seems to be more activity tonight than usual,” he said before switching it off and pulling it away from his mouth.

“Let's head back to the others,” he stated tersely, warning Yuri of the severe scolding he was about to get. 

Viktor stopped and looked over the woman that was leaning on Yuri, and picked her up, taking her off of Yuri's hands as he all but stormed off. The woman looked more uncomfortable than when she was using Yuri for support, and Yuri was taken aback by Viktor's lack of usual suave, concern, or even flirtatious attitude. Normally, he'd at least ask for her permission, or check to see if she was okay before spouting some corny nonsense to make her feel better. Yuri was a bit wary of his actions, but attributed it to him being royally pissed, and decided not to do or say anything to set him off.

He didn't follow him immediately, and he noticed from the corner of his eye that Yuuri hadn't either. The older man gave him a relieved smile, tilting his head up to look him over for any sign of injury.

“Are you okay?” 

“I'm fucking fantastic. As if I hadn't had enough bullshit for a day...” he grumbled, swatting Yuuri's hand away, glad that the darkness at least somewhat served to hide his blooming blush. “At least you kept your stupid promise, for the most part this time.” 

Yuuri let out an amused hum, and looked him over one more time before he nodded. “I'll check up on you again once we're back.” 

Yuri mumbled a “whatever” and started walking after Viktor.

The walk felt like it dragged on for years, with Viktor's stony silence, the woman's nervous, shifty eyes, and Yuuri's concerned gaze constantly on him. 

At one point, Yuri felt something wet on his socks, and noticed, to his horror, that it was blood. The least Viktor could have done if he was going to take her was give her something for the scratches she had.

As it was, they were already out of sight by the time he made his realization, with only Yuuri beside him. He was angry.

He was  _ beyond _ angry. He would get it if Viktor was upset, but that didn't mean he had to be such an inconsiderate asshole. They'd both been through hell, and she was hardly to blame. 

“She was bleeding. The least he could have done was asked her if she was okay or helped her clean up,” he growled, drawing Yuuri's attention. 

“Is she okay?” Yuuri asked, concerned. 

“Her face got slashed and her ankle got messed up. Didn't you see?” Yuuri shook his head no.

“I was trying to see if I could identify any of the negative energy. I was out of focus. By the time I had turned back to you, Viktor had already taken her and you were my main concern, anyway. What happened during the séance… I assumed you would have gotten the worst of it. I thought the blood on your shirt was yours” he mumbled, his eyes following the dotted trail. “Is he usually this-” 

“ _ No _ . I get it if he's sick of my shit, but he could at  _ least _ \- whatever. Let's go,” he scoffed, careful to avoid stepping on any more blood as he and Yuuri made their way back, a tense silence between them.

When they finally got there, Viktor had already put the woman down on a chair, and was standing at the center of the room, arms crossed, and looking more ticked off than Yuri had honestly ever seen him, while Guang-Hong and Leo finished cleaning up her face. The other woman was standing next to her, holding her hand and rubbing comforting circles onto the back of it as they spoke.

The others visibly relaxed when Yuri and Yuuri arrived. Phichit rushed over to them, looking them over, followed by the rest of Yuuri's team. He waved them off, assuring them that he was fine, but then turned his attention to Yuri, and used the light of the room to carefully inspect for any sign of serious injury. 

He started at his head, checking for any more bumps, then he moved to his throat, his arms, and finally, he asked Yuri to lift his pants legs to check for bruising where he had been grabbed. Only his shoulder showed any signs of injury, a greenish, purple bruise already sprouting, but Yuri shrugged it off.

When he had made sure Yuri was fine, Yuuri went to treat the woman's ankle, and try to do as much for the cuts as he could. 

“I don't have much experience with open wounds. It's harder to seal them, but Leo and Guang-Hong treated them well enough for now. For your ankle… I can heal the bruising and speed up the healing process, but you're going to need to go easy on it for a day or two, okay?” He said softly, as he began to wrap her ankle. 

She mumbled out an okay and a thank you.

There was a prolonged silence as Yuuri finished up, no one knowing what to do or say, or even how to broach the topic.

“What  _ happened _ ?” Phichit finally asked, turning his attention to Yuuri. 

“I'm not too sure,” Yuuri admit, looking to Yuri and Viktor, as he slowly stood. “Viktor was calling after Yuri and it woke me up and he told me Yuri had run out and that the professor's assistant was missing, too- I'm assuming you had woken up with all the noise?” Phichit nodded, and Yuuri continued. “We had made it into the hall when we heard Yuri call out for us. 

“When we got there, there were a lot of figures coming out of the walls and a few had grabbed them,” Yuuri explained. 

“The floor was moving and there were growls coming from the walls,” the woman said as her mentor pulled her into her arms, making her next words come out muffled. “Everything was so loud and it was like it was toying with us, and t-then it grabbed me and it attacked me, and then it started dragging us-” She stopped abruptly before she burst into tears. 

Yuri looked away, biting the inside of his cheek to keep his own composure. He had been just as scared. He felt how useless it was to struggle, and how easily he had been-

A sudden feeling of dread overcame him as he became fully aware of the situation he was in. Just how  _ dangerous _ this experience had been, and how much more dangerous it could get.

What were they supposed to do when something could overtake them, blind them, isolate them, and manipulate them so easily? Who would be the next one lured into the room? Who would be the next one to attack their friends? Why was Yuri the one that had to see it when it happened, anyway? 

He could have died just as easily as the girl, had it not been for Viktor and Yuuri. He didn't have the kind of strength they had and he didn't understand why he was the only one that saw it in time to stop it.

It was too much. 

All he was ever responsible for was the equipment, and now it was another life- two, if the thing with Yuuri was true.

He didn't want this.

He didn't ask for this. 

Why should he have to-

“...Yuri?” The boy flinched when he heard someone call his name. 

“Your name is Yuri, correct?” The woman asked, and Yuri slowly nodded. “Thank you for keeping my assistant safe,” she said looking incredibly grateful, and, again, all Yuri could do was nod. 

“I don't understand how you found her so quickly,” Viktor commented. “This house is huge, and there are so many rooms.” 

“I saw her,” Yuri mumbled before he realized what he had said. 

Great, now he sounded like he was about to let her go out there before he built up the nerve to stop her. 

“You were awake when she got taken?” Yuuri asked, not quite understanding. “Why didn't you stop her before-” 

“No!” Yuri tried to clarify. “I mean- fuck! I wasn't  _ awake _ awake, just… I don't know, okay!” He grumbled before realizing that the truth was better than any lie he could make up. 

He sighed. “I had a dream that she was leaving and I tried to wake up and I did, so I went after her!”

“Why didn't you wake one of us up to go with you?” Otabek asked, looking mildly exasperated in contrast to his usually neutral expression. 

“Because it might have been too late! I couldn't wake up- I didn't know how long it took me! She might have already been in the sitting room to look for us; She was already at the door when I got there!” Yuri yelled back.

“How… how did you know that's where I was going?” She asked.

“Well it was, wasn't it?” Yuri all but snapped at her.

“Y-yes. I remember waking up and I couldn't find anybody and something in my head kept saying you were there,” she said, eyes far away as she remembered. 

“Was that in your dream too, Yuri?” 

“No! Something in  _ my  _ head made it feel like that's where she was going! I didn't see where she went after she left, but it's three times already that there's these things that have started popping into my head and they feel so real and they feel like they're not my thoughts, but like someone is telling me and showing me these things. It's shit. It's like getting ripped away and dropped into another place, another story and I felt like I couldn't get back at the end this time, and it's always some  _ freaky _ shit-” Yuri stopped and started laughing bitterly. “I sound like a fucking psycho,” he yelled, burying his head in his hands.

“Yuri… I think you might be having visions,” Phichit commented. “That's… how mine started, except… I took the person's place, so it was like I was dropped into a different body. And… that dream- it might have been an out of body experience.  You said it had already been three times, what about the first ones?” He asked, drawing everyone's eyes to him. 

Yuri took in a deep breath, slowly shook his head, and met Yuuri's eyes. The man held his gaze with his own kind, encouraging one. It made Yuri feel sick.

“The out of body thing, this was the first one, but the first  _ vision, _ or whatever, was when we were in the sitting room,” he said quietly.

“What... happened?” Yuuri asked cautiously. 

“You died and nobody could save you,” Yuri responded, eyes never leaving Yuuri's as they searched for any trace of… something.

A part of Yuri wanted the man to laugh it off; to tell him it was impossible for one reason or another. Hell, he would even accept if Yuuri  _ did _ tell him he was psychotic. 

Anything over the somber look that Yuuri gave him as he nodded.

After a few beats of silence, Viktor finally spoke up. “That's  _ not _ something you joke about, Yuri,” he said sternly. 

“I'm not joking! What kind of a sick fuck do you think I am?!” Yuri screamed back, stepping up to the man. 

“ _ Yuuri won't die,” _ he hissed back. 

“Stop treating me like  _ I'm  _ the one that kills him,” Yuri snarled threateningly.

“Viktor, please calm down,” Yuuri said, resting a hand on the man's upper arm. “There's no reason to shoot the messenger, and Yuri didn't have any ill intent by telling us this.” Yuuri turned to Yuri. “I'm sorry you had to see something like that. I'll try to stay safe from now on; thank you for warning me.” 

Yuri shifted his attention to the ground and nodded. 

Yuuri smiled down at him and then shifted his attention back to Viktor. 

“May I speak to you outside for a minute?” Yuuri asked, his tone colder than Yuri had ever heard him. 

Viktor nodded and Yuri and the rest watched curiously as the two stepped out of the room.

****

“Why would you yell at him like that?” Yuuri hissed at Viktor once the door was shut. “You know how shaken up he was, you saw what he was going through! The  _ least _ you could have done was reassured him-” Viktor took his arm and dragged him further from the door, keeping his hand tightly wound around Yuuri. When he finally loosened his hold, they were on the complete opposite side of the dining room- a whole construct away- from what Yuuri could make out (which wasn't much considering how dark it was, and he didn't have his contacts or his glasses on). 

“What is your problem?!” Yuuri yelled back, snatching his arm away and distancing himself from Viktor.

“Look, you don't know Yuri like I do, okay? I've known him most of his life and he's a spoiled brat who thinks he's above everyone else; of course in a room full of psychics he'd claim to be one, too. He's trying to prove himself and he went too far saying that you'd die in the sitting room,” Viktor scoffed. 

Yuuri looked up in horror at the man. To say such a things about the boy; sure, he was a little aggressive and outspoken, but he'd risked his life for a stranger, and had even shown concern for both her and Yuuri, himself. Even Viktor had had nothing but praise to say over the boy the day prior. 

Yuuri froze, a wave of nausea rolling over him as he was hit with the full force of a negative energy and Viktor's statement. 

“Yuri… didn't say I would die in the sitting room,” Yuuri whispered, slowly stepping away from Viktor, who now had a cold look in his eye.

“Didn't he? Well, he would have been wrong, anyway,” the man shrugged. He grabbed Yuuri before he could get away and slammed him against the wall, hands wound against his throat. 

Yuuri gasped, struggling in the man's grasp.

“ _ Please _ , don't,” Yuuri whispered, trying to regain enough focus to summon his shiki. 

Viktor pulled him away from the wall and slammed him against it again, with enough force for his head to snap back after it had struck the wall. Yuuri gasped in pain as he felt his vision grow spotty and fuzzy.

He tried to gulp in air, when the hand wrapped tighter against his throat, and a look of fear set over his features as he saw Viktor's face contort in sadistic joy. 

Yuuri could feel himself tearing up and could hear his own heartbeat loudly against his ears, while his lungs became desperate for air and a throbbing pain pulsed in the back of his head.

He was so  _ stupid _ , just when Yuri had warned him, too. 

But… he didn't say anything about this. Did he mean he would die this way? He shut his eyes tight, refusing to see such an unnatural look on Viktor's face.  _ Why _ hadn't he sensed it? Why hadn't he even found it odd when Yuri told him he was acting differently; when he had seen it for himself?

What would it do after it killed him? Would it leave after it had used Viktor to kill him? Would it let Viktor see his lifeless body, or would it go back to the base as him and slowly kill the others, too? 

Yuuri didn't want either. He didn't want Viktor to live with having had his own body be used to kill him and he wouldn't let this thing hurt his friends.

Yuuri gasped and coughed, attempting to wriggle out of his tight grip, but the pressure on his neck increased the more he struggled, and he felt as if it were being crushed. He let out a desperate “no,” tears sliding down his cheeks as he felt himself grow weaker and fought to keep himself conscious, despite his vanishing air supply.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of running feet and a familiar voice. “Rin, pyo, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, zai, zen!” 

“Yuri, stop!” He heard someone else say, followed by several more sets of feet.

Viktor let out a pained scream as Yuuri's body was released and crashed onto the floor. 

Yuuri coughed and took in deep gulps of air as his vision slowly cleared and he looked up to see Viktor with a pained expression in front of him. Yuri was standing out of breath a few feet away with Otabek’s hand wrapped firmly over his forearm as he tried to pull away. 

“Let go of me!” He shouted, shoving at Otabek. 

“You could have killed him!” Otabek yelled back. It was a terrifyingly loud roar that made Yuri freeze on the spot. 

“I'll go get the first aid kit,” Guang-Hong mumbled, running back to the room with Phichit. 

Yuuri turned to the man on the floor in front of him and slowly helped him into a kneeling position. Viktor flinched as he straightened, and Yuuri eased him out of his shirt to inspect the damage. 

He heard Yuri gasp as soon as the fabric no longer hid what was probably nine slashes on Viktor's back, and stood on shaky legs to take a look himself. The cuts weren't as deep as they could have been, but they looked painful, nonetheless, and were accentuated with deep bruising around the whole area. Yuuri tentatively applied pressure, trying to see if anything was broken, but sighed when everything appeared to be fine.

“Where's your charm?” Yuuri asked him, voice a little raspy, as he leaned against the wall in front of him before sitting again, the prolonged lack of oxygen teaming up with his exhaustion from all the healing he had done that day, and the blows to his head to make everything spin.

“Should be in my pocket,” Viktor said, reaching into the pocket of his sweats, but returning with nothing. “It must've fallen out,” he groaned, looking up at Yuuri. 

“What did I do to you?” he asked, reaching up to touch Yuuri's cheek. 

He blushed and pulled Viktor's hand away. “Nothing that I would blame you for.” 

“But enough to make you shake and cry,” he retorted, and Yuuri looked down to find that his hands were trembling profusely.

He quickly pulled them away from Viktor's and set them on his lap. 

“I've experienced worse,” he assured him, keeping his eyes on his hands as they refused to stop quaking.

“So I've been told, but that doesn't make it any less frightening,” he said, tilting the other man's head up. “I know you're strong, Yuuri. You're strong, and kind, and talented, but you don't have to bear every burden on your own. You have a team who's known you for years and would be willing to support you and take some of the load off of your back. I've known you all two days, and I can see it.” He picked Yuuri's hands up and held them in his own as he locked eyes with him. “And now you have me and Yura, too. I know it's not easy relying on someone else, especially when you've been alone for so long, but it gets easier, and it becomes less lonely.” 

Yuuri nodded and smiled up at him. “Thank you.”

Viktor opened his mouth to say more, but flinched instead when something pressed against his cuts. 

“Sorry, you were distracted and I didn't think I needed to ask for permission to treat your wounds,” Phichit said, peeking around Viktor's back and smiling as he held up some bloody gauze. 

“Thanks,” Viktor responded sarcastically, but sat still as Phichit continued to dab at the wounds. 

Yuuri sent him a sympathetic smile and made his way over to Yuri who was watching Phichit clean up and wrap Viktor's cuts in horror.

“I… did that?” Yuri asked shakily.

Yuuri opened his mouth to respond, but Otabek beat him to it. 

“Had you been any stronger, you could have broken bones or killed him-” 

“Otabek!” Yuuri scolded, but the teen paid him no mind and continued.

“This is the second time you've acted irresponsibly in the span of a single hour. You're smart, Yura, but you don't think before you act and it could cost you not only your own life, but someone else's,” Otabek said, fixing Yuri with a hard look. “You had said you weren't a child, so  _ stop acting like one _ . Your actions have consequences here, especially with this thing we're dealing with. If you can't understand that, you really need to leave.”

Yuri opened his mouth to respond, but seemed to think twice as he simply nodded and walked to where Viktor was currently being bandaged. 

“You're worried about him,” Yuuri stated, moving to stand next to the boy. 

“He's as reckless as you,” Otabek sighed, rubbing at his temple, making Yuuri laugh. 

“Then we have more in common than a name,” Yuuri hummed, turning to Otabek.

“And the similarities keep mounting with that bruising on your neck,” he mumbled, making Yuuri laugh, albeit sheepishly this time. 

“That was still rather harsh, though,” he chided.

The teen wasn't looking at him; he was watching Yuri in exasperated endearment. 

“He deserved to be told things the way they are to avoid mistakes like this.  _ You _ should have told him exactly what could have happened if he used it on a person without proper training,” Otabek scolded. Yuuri winced, but nodded. 

“I made as much of a mistake as he did. I won't be so careless next time,” Yuuri responded, feeling like he and Otabek had traded roles.

“We should bring him with us,” Otabek suggested nonchalantly. “He's two for two.” 

“What do you mean?” Yuuri asked, brows furrowing. 

“Didn't you wonder how we knew something was wrong when you were so far out of earshot? Yuri was talking to Phich, picked up one of the paper charms, then he said your name and took off. I guess he had seen or felt that something was off,” Otabek shrugged. 

Yuuri nodded, sneaking another glance at the blur that was the three men. He could make out Yuri, who was turning red as Phichit and Viktor laughed, before he slapped what could have only been the paper charm over Viktor's forehead, making Phichit laugh even louder.

Otabek seemed to notice him squinting, because he reached into his pocket and pulled out his glasses and handed them to him without a word.

“Thank you,” he said, pulling them on. “I'm going to tell Celestino to give you a raise. Anyway, if we took him, what would we do with Viktor,” Yuuri joked, then turned red as he remembered what Viktor had said the previous day. 

Otabek smirked. “I'm sure you could figure something out.”

Yuuri stuttered, trying to come up with a suitable response, when Phichit called out to him. 

“Hey, Yuuri! You wanna give this one a kiss to make it better, too?” Yuuri's gaze shifted to Viktor's back, taking in the what his newly cleared vision allowed. 

His back was mostly bandaged, but from what was still exposed, he could see that it was broad and muscular, and he turned redder than he's certain he's ever been at Phichit's suggestion. Viktor was laughing, while Phichit sent him a cat like grin.

“I'm sure it'll make Viktor feel  _ loads _ better,” he said in a sing-song voice. 

“S-stop being indecent! You kiss him better, you're the one that dressed his wounds!” Yuuri yelled back, composure completely lost. His eyes quickly moved away, noting Yuri's unveiled disgust. 

“But  _ Yuuri _ , you're the one that can heal people,” Phichit chimed again. 

“Stop it!” He scolded, eyes shifting back towards Viktor when the man stood, making a show of his exposed torso. Yuuri closed his eyes in a silent prayer, and when he opened them, Viktor was facing him with a light smirk on his lips. 

“I don't need so much as a kiss. Simply seeing and being around Yuuri is enough to heal even a fatal wound,” he reassured, taking a step closer to Yuuri. “Although I am more concerned with what has been done to my heart,” he murmured, just loud enough for Yuuri to hear over the pounding in his ears. 

It went completely silent around them as the others watched in amusement, or, in Yuri's case, horror.

Yuuri's mouth went dry under Viktor's gaze, and he forgot they were being watched. “I-I don't-” Viktor tilted his chin up, caressing his lower lip with his thumb with one hand, and used the other to place one of Yuuri's over his bare chest.

“It seems it's been stolen,” Viktor concluded with a wink, making Yuuri quickly draw back, until he hit the wall. His hands covered his scarlet face as Phichit,Guang-Hong, and Leo whistled and cheered and Viktor chuckled.

Yuri was scowling as if he reconsidered having been saved earlier and looked distantly into the hallway, almost longingly.

Otabek shook his head with a slight smile on his lips before his eyes shifted to something behind him. Yuuri peeked around him to find the professor and her assistant just a few feet away from him, holding their bags. 

Everyone else seemed to take notice, too as they quieted down.

“Mr. Katsuki, Mr. Nikiforov, I- well, I just wanted to say goodbye. This case has gotten much too dangerous for us, and we don't want to be a burden on you or your team, either. Thank you for everything you've done for us.”

“It was a pleasure working with you. Otabek and I can escort you,” he offered, quickly. 

The woman nodded and he rushed past the others, head down and cheeks red. 

When they had made it to the large, double doors that had brought them into Ms. Baranovskaya’s home the first day, they all paused. 

“It was a pleasure working with, and knowing you,” the older woman said, taking one of Yuuri's hands in her two. “Even if we weren't able to understand what was causing this or solve the case, I am sure yours and Mr. Nikiforov's team will.” 

Yuuri nodded. “The pleasure was ours, thank you.”

“I'm sorry, I'm afraid I have a final request,” she said. 

Yuuri slowly nodded, waiting for her to continue. 

“If I may, could it be possible for you to answer a few questions about your clairvoyance after this is over?” She asked, and Yuuri blinked in surprise. 

“Y-you want to ask  _ me _ ?”

“Of course! We've seen your talents first hand. I have no doubt that we can learn a lot from you and Mr. Chulanont. I would be incredibly grateful if you let me be one of the first to look into and uncover the secrets of clairvoyance and psychometry from a primary source,” she said. 

Yuuri opened and closed his mouth, unsure of how to respond. Of course, his answer was yes, but he'd never been seen as a reliable source in regards to the paranormal. It took him a few seconds to collect himself, and even then, he only nodded. 

“Wonderful,” the woman said with a kind smile. “Once again, thank you.” 

With that, the two woman left, the door clicking shut behind them.

***

Yuuri walked back to the base in a daze. He was still in shock from the knowledge that he had a foot in the door leading to the very community that he had admired, but that had ostracized him.

“Yuuri?” He heard Phichit say. 

Yuuri blinked back to the present, noticing that all eyes were on him.

“Are you okay?” Phichit asked. 

“I, um,” he started, but couldn't gather his thoughts.

“He's just a little surprised,” Otabek explained. “The professor asked him if he could contribute to her knowledge of clairvoyance and psychometry.”

“Are you serious?!” Phichit said, pulling Yuuri into his arms. “Yuuri that's amazing!” 

“You too,” Yuuri responded, as Phichit pulled off of him and held him at arm's length. He looked a little concerned and his eyes scanned over Yuuri, probably looking him over for any injuries.

“Yuuri… That's not what you respond to-” 

“No, I meant that she wanted you, too,” Yuuri clarified, laughing when he saw Phichit's eyes widen, a blinding grin spread on his lips. 

“Me too?! Really?! Yes!” He yelled, pumping his fist in the air and pulling Yuuri into a hug. 

A giddy laugh slipped past Yuuri's lips as he hugged him back and he felt Leo and Guang-Hong join them.

“What's the big deal?” Yuri asked. “Hasn't anyone asked you to help them with their research before?” 

Yuuri's entire team froze, and Yuuri ducked his head and looked away.

“That would mean someone took us seriously. The person with the most credibility is Leo, and even then, people think he's too young to be a  _ real  _ priest,” Phichit grumbled.

Viktor's brow furrowed, but neither he nor Yuri said anything as Phichit continued.

“We're pretty great actors, aren't we?” He asked bitterly. “We obviously get here earlier than everybody, set shit up, memorize our lines, and hire everyone else. Be completely honest, Viktor: what did you think of Yuuri and I when you first saw us?” 

“You don't have to answer that, Viktor,” Yuuri said, turning to Phichit. “Phichit, please calm down; it's fine.” 

“No, it's not! It's bullshit! What makes them any better than us?! So what if our cases are broadcasted?! Maybe I would have been able to overlook it if it just affected me, but it doesn't! Yuuri has admired you, your organization, and the parapsychological community since he was a kid! 

“He did so much research, he developed his abilities, he worked so hard to be able to reach you and to be able to contribute only to have that chance ripped away because he was trying to keep something that was important to him and his family alive!” 

Yuuri could feel the blood drain from his face as all eyes were on him. “I… i-it doesn't matter anymore. I'm happy with what I have, and I help people nonetheless,” he mumbled and Viktor felt a pain in his chest at how sad he looked in that moment.

Viktor hesitated, directing everyone's attention to himself. “I… can't be said to have believed any of what you claimed or did,” he answered honestly, his eyes locking onto Yuuri. “I do now, and I'm sorry to have doubted you. There hasn't been a doubt in my mind since I witnessed your abilities first-hand. Your whole team is talented and it's a shame that such incredible abilities have been overlooked because of arrogance and skepticism, including on my part.” 

“Don't worry about apologizing. We came in knowing you would be skeptical. Your organization was the first one to write Yuuri off as a fake as soon as the first episode aired,” Phichit said. “Everyone else followed pretty quickly, without even asking Yuuri to prove himself.”

“Some people didn't even believe I was originally born in Japan,” Yuuri said with a timid laugh. “They said it was a made up backstory to add to my ‘mysterious appeal and foreign abilities.’” He laughed more sincerely. “I don't actually know what that means. Maybe it's the shinto or the onmyodo; maybe the traditional clothing were too much, but I like staying close to my roots and my mentor.”

Viktor stepped closer, until he was right in front of Yuuri. 

“I'm sorry you had to endure that. After we've finished here, I'll make sure to clear your name,” Viktor said, taking Yuuri's hand. 

“You don't have to do that, Viktor. I'm fine, it doesn't matter,” Yuuri laughed, laying a hand over Viktor's. 

“It matters to me. You don't deserve to be treated like an imposter. You're- absolutely incredible, and you can't tell me that you're fine with the way things are when you were so happy with the professor's proposal. I'd like to propose the same. If you'll allow me the honor,” he said, looking up and at each member of Yuuri's team. “I'd like to learn from you and your abilities and experiences. You deserve to be recognized as the amazing individuals you are.” 

Yuuri sent him a blinding smile, wrapping his arms around him before quickly pulling away, cheeks tinted pink. “I-I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “I just… thank you.” 

“This isn't just you trying to woo Yuuri is it?” Phichit asked, his usual teasing tone back, albeit with a bit of an edge. 

Viktor hummed as if he were considering his answer, then smiled down at Yuuri. “Maybe partly. You can't say you blame me, he is pretty great and he looks really cute with glasses-”

“I'm going to sleep,” Yuri grumbled, shuffling back to his place on the floor, and wrapping himself in his blanket with an “it's too late for this shit.”

“Yura, switch places with me!” 

“Shut up, fuck you, I'm sleeping.” 

Viktor pouted, but turned to Phichit. “Phichit, switch places with me!” 

“For everyone's sleep, sanity, and Yuuri's virtue- no,” he said, smugly walking to his pile of blankets and smiling triumphantly at Viktor before tucking himself in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, school started and Lord help me, I'm all over the place. I mean, I've worked while going to school before, but now I work and go to school on the same days. It takes me one hour to get home, one hour to get to work, and I have 3 hours after classes to get home, eat, and get to work. At the end of the day I end up exhausted and don't even open this document, but! I dont work or have class today so, here's this! Maybe a little too much going on this chapter... It's okay... ALSO! The seventh chapter is fighting me so that might take a while... Anyway! Thank you for leaving kudos, bookmarking, commenting, or even just reading :D!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the words of Tom Holland just as he was going to spoil infinity war for a theater full of people “I’m alive!”   
> I’ve finally gotten back to this because, I finally feel like I have time and I missed writing this AND I love, appreciate and miss you guys ❤️! Anyway, here’s your update! 2 more to go!
> 
> **Quick recap: All other investigators, with the exception of Yuuri’s team and Viktor and Yuri, have left the house after it proved to be too much and too dangerous for them after being attacked themselves. Yuri has just disclosed the fact that he possesses precognition, as well as having suggested that he has the beginnings of talent for astral projection.   
> Alongside that, Phichit has revealed that the organization Viktor is part of is responsible for Yuuri being discredited by parapsychologists everywhere. Viktor promises to make things right and then they go to sleep and I abandoned this for the entirety of my spring semester and a month or two…. Also! Viktor had started openly flirting with Yuuri last chapter.   
> Anyway, enjoy your 8000 word long update that is more than a little late!

Yuri woke up with a stiff back, a pain in his neck, but no more of those awful visions. He blinked into focus to see that almost everyone was already up and about, aside from Phichit, who looked like he was beginning to wake up, too. Yuri stretched, yawning, and drawing Yuuri and Viktor's attention to him. 

“Oh, you're finally awake!” Viktor said, turning to him from his spot at the monitors beside Otabek. “Otabek was filling in for you while you were sleeping. Either you taught him well, or he's a quick learner because he really knows what he's doing.” 

Yuri sneered, not really in the mood to put up with Viktor so early in the day. 

Yuuri pursed his lips, clearly trying to hold back a laugh as he went over to Phichit and nudged him with his foot. “Phich get up. You're leaving a bad impression, we're supposed to be professionals.” 

Phichit whined, pulling the blanket over his head and turning away from Yuuri. 

“Must've tired himself out yelling at Viktor yesterday,” Leo called out from his seat at the table.

Phichit's hand poked through the blanket, flipping him off. 

“Respect Father de la Iglesia,” Otabek taunted, directing Phichit's hand in his general direction.

Yuuri nudged him harder, laughing as he did. “ _ Phichit _ ,” he whined.

When the man didn't respond, Yuuri moved to Phichit's feet, took a firm hold of the blanket, and tugged, meeting resistance as Phichit fought to keep it over himself with a frustrated shout. 

Leo soon ran over to help him, followed by Guang-Hong and Otabek. Yuri and Viktor watched from the sidelines, Yuri fully awake now as it took four men to pry the blanket from Phichit's grasp. They stumbled back when he finally released it, but managed to steady themselves and returned to what they were doing as if nothing had happened. 

“This happens a lot, I'm assuming?” Viktor asked, gaze shifting from Yuuri to Phichit, who was now sitting up and glaring at everything. 

“All the time,” Yuuri responded, smiling at Phichit. 

The man huffed, standing and folding his blankets, mumbling something about ‘we were supposed to be on vacation,’ as he did. Then, loud enough so everyone could hear: “I don't understand why we have to start our days so early when the spirits show themselves more at night.”

His comment was ignored as he continued to grumble and put his things away.

Yuri followed suit, folding his bedding and piling it with the others in the corner of the room.

“You two can go do whatever you need to do in the restrooms together,” Yuuri said, turning away to look at something Guang-Hong was showing him.

Phichit grunted in response, grabbing a bundle of things and trudging to the door. Yuri did the same and the two were almost out the door, when Yuuri instructed for Guang-Hong to go with them.

He followed them to the door, along with Viktor, Otabek, and Leo. Yuri glared at them. “What? Are we all going to take a field trip to the bathroom?” He spat, annoyed at the lack of privacy they were being subjected to, along with the general annoyance of having recently woken up. 

“We were waiting for you two to start breakfast. We'll be waiting for you in the dining room when you get back.” Viktor laughed, not at all affected by Yuri's tone.

“The servants are gone,” Yuri said, brow creasing in confusion.

“We're capable of making our own food, Yura,” Viktor teased.

Yuri eyed them suspiciously for a few moments, not completely sure if that was true, but eventually turned and walked away with Phichit and Guang-Hong. 

Phichit stepped into the restroom first, leaving Yuri and Guang-Hong waiting just outside, seated against the wall. From the corner of his eye, he saw Guang-Hong open and close his mouth several times, as if he were trying to say something. 

“ _ What _ ?” He finally asked, irritated at the constant staring. 

“I just… it must have been scary; you should have told us sooner if you were seeing strange things. Sometimes the spirits or energy of the hauntings can make you have powerful hallucinations. You could have been possessed. I-I don't mean to scold you or anything! I just… it could be dangerous to keep those things to yourself,” Guang-Hong mumbled, playing with the hem of his shirt.

“So, what? I'm supposed to tell you every time I have some weird ass dream? I had a stupid fucking dream about a talking cat that liked tennis. Is the spirit here an angry tennis cat god?” 

“Was the cat black?” Guang-Hong asked seriously. 

“Wha- yeah, why?” Yuri asked, going still.

“That's the worst type of dream cat. It must be a bad omen,” Guang-Hong said, before a smile spread on his lips and he began to laugh. 

“You were fucking with me!” Yuri screeched.

Guang-Hong slowly calmed himself down to only small giggles. “I'm sorry. The cat- it sounds like a funny dream.”

“It was terrifying, he kept me prisoner,” Yuri mumbled, sending Guang-Hong into another fit of laughter. 

Yuri felt himself turn bright red, but didn't pursue the topic. Instead, he decided to find out a little more about his visions. “So, I'm just supposed to live with this shit for the rest of my life?” 

“A-ah, well, yes, but you can hone it so that they become clearer and more detailed. You can also develop your astral projection so that you can do it while awake. It takes a lot of concentration, but if you need help, Leo knows how to do it. He's really amazing, I'm sure he's an excellent teacher,” Guang-Hong gushed, missing the grossed out look that passed on Yuri's face. 

Did he have a crush on the priest? 

That… wasn't… normal, was it?

Could Leo even be in a relationship? He'd have to ask Viktor. 

Either way, Guang-Hong was a special kind of kinky if that was his type. Wait, wasn't Yuuri a priest? He was almost totally sure he had said that during his interview with that asshole JJ. Maybe that's why he wasn't falling for Viktor's flirting, Yuri hummed pensively. 

They didn’t talk much more after that, just some small comments here and there that were met with small noises that were meant to show that the other heard what had been said. 

When Phichit stepped out of the restroom he was practically a new person. He was back to his cheerful self, all the sleepiness washed away with his morning routine. 

Yuri eyed him suspiciously as he stepped around him and into the restroom. One of those two personalities was the real Phichit and Yuri wasn't sure which one it was.

As he went to undress, his attention was caught in the mirror. Deep purple and yellow splotches decorated his neck in a way that made Yuri shiver.  _ It _ had done this. It had the power to do this, he thought as he traced the markings lightly. 

He quickly shook it off and did what he was in there to do, feeling uncomfortable; as if someone was watching him the entire time he was in there. 

When he finally stepped out of the restroom, bathed and dressed in clean clothes, he had mostly forgotten the feeling of unease he had felt. Phichit and Guang-Hong, who looked like they had been talking about something serious quickly changed their attitude at the sight of him to something more cheerful.

“Alright, let's drop our stuff off and go back because I'm starving,” Phichit said, walking away with Guang-Hong just behind him. He turned and sent Yuri a reassuring smile. 

***

Yuri had been chewing on a piece of toast when he finally decided to ask. It wasn’t really important, but not knowing was bothering him. “Hey, Yuuri, I have a question.”

“Yes?” Yuuri asked, looking up from his whispered conversation with Otabek.

“So, you're like, a priest, right?”

“No, I think I'd consider myself more as a shaman, why?” Yuuri said, raising a brow as he took a sip of his juice.

“Can you be in a relationship?” Yuri asked, causing Yuuri to choke and quickly set his cup down as he brought a napkin to his mouth.

“I-I can, but it's not common for people in my profession to have romantic partners,” he stuttered out, clearing his throat as he turned red from behind his napkin.

“Why?” 

“Well, as I told Viktor, it's a little unnerving or overwhelming to people and my priority is and always should be the spiri-” 

“You  _ asked _ ?” Yuri screeched, turning his attention to Viktor, who didn't look the slightest bit guilty, but was regarding Yuuri with a bit of concern, a hand on his back. 

“I couldn't figure out how someone as lovely as Yuuri didn't have a partner,” he stated simply, before turning his attention back to Yuuri. “So, theoretically speaking, of course, if someone were to be as devoted to spirits as you, would you consider having a relationship wi-” 

“Keep it in your pants, bastard!” Yuri yelled, throwing a piece of toast at him. His own face was almost as red as Yuuri's. (The man in question was slowly sliding further into his seat.)

“I'll answer that question for you, Viktor!” Phichit said, a mischievous smile on his lips. “The answer is ‘no.’ Yuuri has had my beautiful self, Otabek, and Leo to choose from. I won't even try to count Guang-Hong, he practically raised him, but, as you can see, a devotion to spirits isn't nearly enough. Nor is a pretty face, or one of us would have had the pleasure.” 

Viktor smiled back, shifting his attention from Yuuri to Phichit. “Oh? But you're all children, still teenagers even. Of course someone as nurturing as Yuuri wouldn't have been able to see you as options when he taught most of you what you know.” 

Phichit huffed, softly glaring at Viktor. He opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by Yuuri.

“L-let’s change the topic!” Yuuri stuttered, a brilliant shade of red. 

“Of course, darling. Let’s talk about you and your team coming to our facility for research! So, after we finish here Yuri and I will actually be a bit busy finalizing the documentation of the case and completing all those fun reports and what not, but you’re more than welcome to come by at any time with a fair heads up— oh! Maybe we can all go back to Russia together! Although after all this it would be more than understandable if you and your team wanted to rest before anything like that—“ Yuri rolled his eyes and ignored Viktor, who began to talk about Russia and their association and their research excitedly, and finished eating his food. 

It wasn’t anything special; it was actually a pretty ordinary breakfast— toast, eggs, bacon, and a glass of juice— but something about it made warmth bubble in his chest. Even through Viktor’s stupid rambling, Yuuri’s shy, hesitant input, Phichit’s teasing, Leo and Guang-Hong’s own hushed conversation on the side, and Otabek’s quiet attention he felt almost at peace— or maybe it was because of it. He felt comfortable, despite most of these people having been strangers a few days ago, he felt happy, he thought as a small smile spread on his lips through another bite of food.

Somehow, the conversation had shifted to just how natural Viktor’s hair color really was, when Yuri felt a sudden rush of fear overcome him. His breath came in a sudden gasp and his eyes began to tear up as his heart rate sped up. He stood abruptly from his seat, causing all conversation to stop, but he paid it no mind. Not when every cell in his body was screaming at him to run and hide, even if he didn’t know why. 

“Yura?” Viktor asked, worry clear in his eyes. “Are you alright?” 

Yuri scanned the room, as if he even possessed the ability to see anything if there  _ was _ something in the room, and let out a breath as the feeling slowly melted away, until only the after effect of it was left.

“Yuri, if something is bothering you you really shouldn’t keep it to yourself. It could be serious,” Guang-Hong reminded him, standing just a foot away from him. 

“I-I just, um, thought I felt something. I-I don’t know, I just- just felt really scared for a second there, like, I don’t know, like something was watching us just then,” he tried to brush off, but couldn’t help the slight quake in his voice. 

“Maybe something was. You seem to be at a more in touch with the wavelength of this house and the spirits here than us,” Yuuri said. “You shouldn’t doubt yourself, Yuri. Whether it’s instinct or a feeling, or maybe even a fleeting moment of uncertainty or certainty, it’s usually best that you go with your gut feeling.” 

“More advice from your wise tree?” Yuri half joked, trying to bring back a more light hearted mood.

“My mom, actually,” Yuuri responded with a small laugh. “Did you want to head back to the base now?”

Yuri nodded, picking up his plate, only to see Yuuri and the others do the same. 

Right. 

Not allowed to do anything alone.

Yuri scoffed, but said nothing; he was even a little relieved. 

 

***

When the dishes were washed, dried, and put away, they all migrated back to the base and got back to work.

Yuri huffed at his spot in front of the monitors next to Otabek, who was busy on his laptop. He leaned back and peeked at the table Viktor and the others were seated at. Viktor was looking over what they had found, while Yuuri and his team of psychics were trying to figure out the best way to go about exorcising a malignant spirit that was growing increasingly powerful and arguing over whether there were any harmless spirits that could be hurt when no one could sense anything. 

That seemed to be the biggest problem. They had their spirit’s identity, his MO, and had easily concluded that he should be dealt with, but the nasty motherfucker wasn’t just using the spirits it trapped to get stronger, it was using them as a shield; they couldn’t cleanse the house and make whatever harmless spirits there were leave because they would further piss off the big bad, but they also couldn’t go around carelessly trying to get rid of it because that would hurt spirits— if there were any— and, by extension, Yuuri and Guang-Hong.

“And if we find the bodies?” Viktor suggested, pulling his attention away from the research and facing the others. “They were never recovered, which means whatever spirits found here might be site-bound because their bodies are here. The man’s body might be here, too. If we exorcise that, the rest should fall into place.”

“That would sound great, if we didn’t have a whole mansion to dig up. I mean, they could be anywhere: in walls, under floorboards, in the attic, in the basement, in the shed out back, even buried anywhere!” Phichit groaned, laying his head on the table.

“ _ Or _ in the well… in the sitting room?” Yuuri suggested, a smile spreading on his lips. 

“ _ Oh _ !  _ Right! _ Yeah, that makes sense! Who’s going in? I volunteer anyone but me,” Phichit said excitedly.

“How deep even is the well?” Guang-Hong asked. 

“Do we even have the tools to go in?” Leo added, looking a little concerned. 

Otabek moved from the monitors to the table. “It can be anywhere from 100 to 1000 feet deep depending on its purpose,” he said with a shrug. 

“That’s… not good. Yuri and I might have brought some ropes with us. We can check?” Viktor suggested.

“1000 foot long ropes?”

“Right… probably not.” 

“I’m sure we can take off a few feet for all the dead bodies that are stacked down there,” Yuri joked, but was met with unamused looks. He let out a small ‘never mind, then.’ And turned back to the boring screens. 

Whatever, he thought he was funny.

“The well could have been a cover from the start?” Leo suggested, resuming their discussion. “It might have been built with this purpose in mind.”

“If that were the case, it might be much more shallow,” Yuuri said with a pensive hum.

Yuri let out a quiet groan as he watched the still screens while the others continued to talk and plan their adventures into the well. He rested his chin on his hand, using his free hand to write down the temperatures of each room on his chart. Even though they were all  _ exactly the same  _ as earlier. He began to absentmindedly roll the pencil between his finger and the table while staring dazedly at the screens when another flash of his first vision filled his head, but he quickly shook it off and sat up. 

_ No,  _ Yuuri wasn’t going to be dragged anywhere. He was going willingly. That ought to cancel his vision out, right? 

At least physically, because it wouldn’t stop filling his head over and over again until his eyes watered, and he felt like clawing the thing out of his head with his bare hands. Yuuri being dragged to a certain death over and over again, each time painfully alone and scared without anyone to save him or stop it. “ _ Stop,” _ he whispered out through clenched teeth, but, as if a dam had burst, every bad experience in the house this far came crashing into him, paralyzing fear and all, but this time, a figure looked over each scene, just watching as Yuuri was dragged down, as the woman’s face was scratched, as Yuuri attempted to choke him, as Viktor attempted the same with Yuuri, and as Yuri sat where he currently was, snapping his head to the corner he had imagined the figure in, but there was nothing there.

Right.

Of course not.

He was safe, everyone was safe, but it didn’t feel like it. He felt like he would be killed any second. He felt like he should run. He couldn’t breathe and he felt like the room was closing in and all of their voices were too loud; it was overwhelming. He could feel each experience as if he was back there again; trapped.

Suddenly, he was hit by a vision he hadn’t seen before: it was his grandpa, he was bleeding on the floor as people rushed around and over him. 

***

_ Nikolai was bleeding from his nose and mouth, his form eerily still; not even his chest moved to indicate that he was breathing. The pool of red beneath him steadily expanded and surrounded him.Yuri took in a ragged breath as he took a hesitant step closer, reaching a shaking hand for his grandpa before shapes rushed past and through him to the man. Yuri spun around to try to find where they came from but there was nothing behind him but blank space.  _

_ “Where’s Yuri?!” He heard, drawing his attention back to the now multiple forms hovering over his grandpa. _

_ “He’s still on the Baranovskaya case with Viktor!” A blurred face called, rushing past Yuri to the man. “How is he?” _

_ Yuri held his breath, hoping they wouldn’t say what he already assumed.  _

_ “He’s dead _ .” 

***

Yuri felt as if he’d crashed back into his body, completely out of breath. He covered up his choking, gasping breaths with his hands, his entire body shaking as silent tears ran down his face. He felt sick. There was so much blood, and his grandpa was so pale. He couldn’t do this here. Not this. He just needed to be alone for a little bit.

Just a little bit. 

Yuri quietly rushed out of the room, then sprinted down the hallway when he was sure he was out of earshot. He shut himself into the restroom and let out an anguished cry. He let his tears come loudly, keeping his arms around himself as his mind filled with images of his grandpa’s bleeding body that were made all the more horrifying as he recalled every smile and happy memory.

He cried for a few minutes before he felt like all of the sadness had dried up and the thing he saw felt like a dream; even the tears that were drying on his face seemed to feel out of place. He stood slowly, looking around at his surroundings as if seeing them for the first time, and stepped up to the sink to splash some water on his tear stained cheeks and his eyes that were swollen and red. “It wasn’t real,” he mumbled to himself. “None of this is real. This whole case is just a stupid messed up Alice in Wonderland-ish dream because Viktor’s dumb ass probably accidentally knocked me out with a piece of equipment or some shit. Yuuri and Phichit are only here because I think their show is cool and the other three are just random strangers that I’d seen before. I’m gonna wake up and it’s gonna be another dud of a case where nothing’s actually haunted or it’s a poltergeist caused by some attention whore of a kid.” Yuri dried his face with a hand towel and stepped out of the restroom and headed back, still trying to convince himself that nothing was real. 

“Of course Yuuri wouldn’t turn out to be the real deal if this was real life. He’s too good to be true; too nice and-“ Yuri stopped abruptly, feeling as if something was watching him again, but he couldn’t sense if it was good or bad. He spun around, expecting to find nothing like in the restroom or the dining room, but saw what looked like the girl that had disappeared. 

“You’re— a continuity error in my dream. I need to get back to the base-“

“Help me,” she called out, taking a step closer to him. 

Yuri took a step back in response, lifting his hand. “Rin, pyo, tou-“

“ _Help_ _me!”_ She screamed, taking larger steps closer to him and grabbing his arm.

Yuri quickly stepped back and pulled his arm away. “With what? You’re not supposed to be here! Yuuri said you moved on!”

“ _ He’s coming,” _ she whispered into his ear, grabbing his arm and giving a sharp tug. “ _ Run!” _

Yuri tried to pull away again, but found that he couldn’t; the grip on him was so hard it was bordering on painful. Suddenly, he was being dragged through the halls, his heart pounding loudly, sending blood drumming in his ears. No amount of dragging his feet or trying to pull away seemed to free him or slow them down. He was terrified, but he didn’t know what to do; the only thing that kept him from trying to cast the warding spell was that they were actually headed away from the sitting room. Actually, they were even headed back in the direction of their base, so he didn’t try to call out for Yuuri or Viktor, he had just assumed that she would take them back at the base so that he others could help her; at least, until they made a sharp turn into the kitchen and towards a wall. 

Yuri attempted to stop again, but was yanked into a dark space and sent tumbling down some stairs. He stayed down for a few moments, attempting to catch his breath and waiting for the pain that pulsed dully throughout his body to stop.

When the room stopped spinning and he felt like he could breathe again he stood himself up with a pained groan, leaning against what he assumed was a wall for support. “What the hell is your problem?! Your body’s not so cold that you can’t remember that people shouldn’t phase through walls or get thrown down stairs!” He snarled. 

In the pitch black darkness, the woman was the only thing that could be seen clearly; not even the wall he leaned on or his own hands were visible to him, drawing Yuri’s attention to her. He held his breath, completely still as she kept her head down, while her shoulders started shaking. Yuri has assumed she was crying and was about to apologize, but drew in a small breath when he heard her laugh a harsh cackling laugh that progressively became louder, echoing around them. Her laughter surrounded him and reached its peak as she threw her head back to reveal a deep cut all the way across her neck. Yuri let out a noise and took a step back, his breathing now coming in shaky.

She- no,  _ it _ shrieked and Yuri heard several things shatter as the laughter continued. He crouched and covered his head as he turned his body against the wall to try and protect himself as best as he could. 

A cry of equal parts shock and pain was torn out of him as shards of glass sliced into his back and arms, and he felt the realization of the danger he was in abruptly overcome him. Yuri stumbled backwards in the dark, then launched himself forward and in the direction of the mutilated spirit that watched him with predatory eyes before sharply turning and reaching out to find the steps he had fallen down. They had to lead to some way out, right?? He fell forward when his feet hit a step, his hands catching his fall, but getting cut by glass as he did. 

Yuri didn’t care. He clambered up the steps as fast as he could and felt what he assumed was the outline of a door. When his hands finally found the handle, he gripped it like a lifeline, pressing small bits of glass deeper into his skin, but came to the realization that there was no escape as the door was stuck in place. He tugged at it, then slammed his already bruised shoulder against it, but it was like trying to ram down a brick wall. He felt tears of desperation form as he uselessly tugged and pounded on the door and suddenly understood why the spirit hadn’t tried to stop him.This was part of its game: watching the last bit of hope extinguish as he realized he was trapped. 

It had no fear of losing its prey, so why bother to chase when he would corner himself?

He suddenly froze. 

He could feel it: the presence of the woman almost pressed against his back as he kept a vice grip on the handle, head ducked and refusing to turn around. 

“ _ Please _ ,” he whispered, voice shaky and desperate. He didn't even know what he was begging for. He didn't know if it was for his team to save him, for god to save him, for that thing to leave, or for it to give him a swift death in his hopeless situation. This wasn’t a dream. This wasn’t even something he could come up with in his worst nightmares. 

A horrible laugh sounded in his ear as he felt sharp nails trace his cheek, then felt a burning pain add onto the already pulsing skin of his back. He choked out a sob and screwed his eyes shut as his breathing became more erratic and the blood pounding in his ears made everything else sound distant. 

The door was suddenly ripped open, torn off its hinges, and a hand reached in and pulled Yuri out, while a white light flit into the room and kept the thing away. He heard Yuuri's voice say a small prayer before the thing let out a blood curdling shriek that made Yuri cry harder and hold whoever had pulled him out closer. 

“Let's take him to one of the rooms for now,” he heard Yuuri say. 

Hands slipped beneath his knees and scooped him up as Yuri held tight, trying to convince himself that he was safe now. He didn't even think of putting up a fight at being carried in such a humiliating way. He was just happy to be out of that room. He was trembling despite the danger being gone, he could feel it, but he couldn't stop. The fear wouldn't go away and every time he closed his eyes he would see flashes of the grotesque slash on her neck, the horrible screech echoing in his ears, and the nails like a blade on his cheek still tracing themselves over and over on his face to the point that if he weren't holding on to the person carrying him for dear life he would try and claw off the feeling.

He attempted to slow his breathing and managed to reduce his tears to small hiccups by the time he was placed on the bed by Otabek. Viktor knelt in front of him with Yuuri and Otabek standing a little off to the side. His eyes were red, with tear stains on his cheeks and he looked like he was having trouble even keeping himself upright; he must have been the one to open the door and looked like he wasted a shit ton of energy doing it. He made a mental note to tell Yakov he was overusing his PK again. Yuri was almost totally sure that if he so much as poked him he would fall over, but he was having trouble finding the will to pull himself out of the tight ball he'd pulled himself into.

“Are you hurt, Yuri? Did it do anything to you?” He asked, gently turning his face over to look for any signs of injury. 

“Viktor, his back,” Yuuri mumbled, lightly running a hand over Yuri’s back, making him wince. Viktor stood and went to stand next to Yuuri to survey the numerous cuts on his back. “Yuri can you take this off for me, please?” He asked. 

Yuri nodded and went to take his shirt off, but cried out in pain and looked back down to his cut up hands, small pieces of glass still imbedded in some of the cuts.

Yuuri gently picked up his hands and studied them for a few moments before releasing them. “Otabek and I are going to go get the first aid kit,” he told Viktor before leaving the room with the teen.

“Did it do anything else?” Viktor asked, staring into Yuri’s eyes with more concern than he had ever seen or would have liked to see on Viktor’s face.

“Nothing the first aid kit can’t fix,” Yuri responded, looking away.

“Thank goodness,” Viktor whispered, pulling the boy into a hug. Yuri hissed in pain and Viktor quickly pulled back, but Yuri wished he hadn’t. Despite the sting of the cuts, it made his chest feel lighter, and a little more at ease. Maybe even a little guilty for considering pushing him over, but it wouldn't be them if he didn't terrorize Viktor even a little bit.

Yuuri and Otabek were back just as quickly as they had left, dragging the large first aid kit behind them. Viktor made room for Yuuri, who quickly opened it up and began to take bandages, scissors, disinfectant, cotton pads, and tweezers out. “I don’t want you to strain yourself taking off your shirt, so I’m just going to cut through it, okay?”

“Go ahead, it’s already torn to shit,” Yuri grumbled, pulling away when he felt the cold press of the scissors against his back as Yuuri cut the shirt off of him. Yuuri then slipped it open and sat on the bed behind Yuri, checking for any glass. When he confirmed that his skin was clear of any, he grabbed the disinfectant and some cotton pads. 

“This is gonna sting a bit, Yuri, but I need to clean it before I wrap it okay?” 

“Whatever,” he mumbled, watching as Viktor sat in front of him and began running his hands through his hair. 

“You have bits of glass in here,” he mumbled, picking one off to show him.

Yuri nodded slowly, then let out a hiss as he felt Yuuri start to clean his cuts, followed by a yelp as he clenched his hands and felt the glass push further into his skin. 

“Otabek, can you start getting the bits of glass out of his hands and wrap them, please?” Yuuri asked, gently dabbing at Yuri’s back. 

Otabek silently moved up to him and kneeled on the ground as he picked up the tweezers and opened up Yuri’s hand slowly and carefully plucked out shards from where they were buried in his skin. 

“What happened?” Yuuri asked softly from behind him, leaning over to get clean cotton pads and continuing. 

Yuri felt his eyes water and looked to the floor. “I went to the restroom, but when I was leaving I saw that servant girl. She was supposed to have moved on, and I tried to leave because something didn’t feel right, but she grabbed me and she pulled me through the wall and into that room or whatever it was,” he let out a choked sob. “Then she just started laughing and there was this gash on her throat. She changed and everything in the room exploded and it was so dark and I tried to get to the door, but it I couldn't open it,” Yuri hiccuped. 

“I was so scared and I could feel it close to my neck. It was so close to me and I felt like I couldn't breathe and then it  _ laughed _ at me and dragged its claw across my cheek as if it was fucking me,” he said, allowing himself to cry as Viktor pulled him close, mindful of the cuts on his back and hand. 

“And she scratched you,” Yuuri whispered, more a statement than a question. Yuri only nodded.

He was able to dissipate his fear much more quickly this time, feeling comforted by the presence of the three men, but he didn’t pull away from Viktor as quickly as he normally would have. 

He felt the bed shift behind him and heard as Yuuri went around so that he was kneeling in front of him, taking his face in his hands that smelled faintly of rubbing alcohol,

“Yuri, please be careful.  _ Please _ remember that it's only us here. If you see anybody that isn't us or Otabek, Leo, or Guang-Hong, you need to run the other way. Please, Yuri, I'm begging you to be careful. It's very dangerous here,” Yuuri said as he wiped a tear from Yuri's cheek. 

Yuri hadn't even realized he was crying again.

Yuuri's voice softened. “If Otabek hadn't noticed you were gone, who knows what would have happened. You're too young to be throwing your life away.”

Yuri only nodded, pursing his lips to keep them from wobbling. He was vaguely aware of Otabek gently taking his other hand. “There’s… another thing,” he whispered. “Before I left, I had a-a vision. My grandpa- he-he died,” he sobbed into Viktor’s chest.

“ _ What? _ How?! I- do you remember when or how or what happened? I can call Yakov, maybe we can-“ Viktor pulled away, making Yuuri hold his arms out to hold the boy instead. 

“He was bleeding, there was so much blood,” Yuri mumbled.

“Where did this happen?” Viktor asked, phone already out.

“I-I don’t know,” Yuri hiccuped. He felt Yuuri tense under his hold.

“Would… would you happen to remember who or what was around him?” Yuuri asked tentatively, exchanging a brief glance with Otabek. Yuri pulled back in confusion and looked between the two.

“Why the hell would I?! My grandpa was bleeding on the ground!” Yuri yelled back, tears still running down his face. 

“Do you remember your first vision, Yura?” Otabek asked, putting down the bloodied tweezers. “Or even your second?”

“Y-yeah, why?”

“You knew exactly where they took place?” 

“ _ Yes _ ,” Yuri hissed.

“Were your visions detailed? They were, weren’t they? They’re how you found Yuuri and Viktor.”

“What about it?!” 

“Yuri, the spirit only knows about your grandpa. You’ve only shown his face while here. No one else. Spirits don’t know anything beyond what is within their reach. Your vision wasn’t detailed because it had no detail to base anything else off of. Your grandpa’s gonna be okay, Yura,” Yuuri sighed, pulling the boy into a hug. 

“B-but I saw-“

“A hallucination. A cruel way of messing with your head and getting you alone. Nothing more,” Otabek reassured him. 

The words slowly hit Yuri, who began to cry harder and hold onto Yuuri tighter. 

“Oh thank God,” Viktor breathed out, putting his phone away. 

“You're okay now, Yura,” Viktor said, resting a hand on his head. Yuuri smiled gently at him, then went back to treating his back. Otabek already had both hands wrapped, to Yuri’s surprise. He tentatively touched at one of his hands, which was wrapped snug in bandages that weren’t too tight or loose. 

“I took a health class in high school and it never really left me,” he said, responding to the look on Yuri’s face. 

“It doesn’t hurt that Celestino likes him to have basic medical knowledge in case one of us does something stupid,” Yuuri added with a laugh. 

“Benefits you and Phichit the most,” Otabek grumbled. 

“Well you can start practicing on Yuri too now,” Yuuri said from behind Yuri, picking up the bandages and beginning to wrap up Yuri’s wounds. “Let me just finish this and we can head back to the others,Yuri.” 

“C-can I stay with you a little longer, Yuuri?” Yuri asked, playing with the gauze wrapped around his hand. Yuuri looked a little surprised, but didn't object.

“Of course. Otabek, can you help Viktor with whatever he needs? I don't want to steal his assistant and make him do all the work,” he teased. 

Viktor gave a light chuckle, then stooped in front of Yuri again. “You sure you’re gonna be okay?” 

“I’m  _ fine _ .”

Viktor hesitated for a moment, then looked up past Yuri. Whatever Yuuri did reassured Viktor because he smiled at the man and nodded, standing and heading out. “Come on, Otabek; let’s look over the footage.”

“Sure thing,” Otabek mumbled, following Viktor out of the room with a quick glance back at Yuri. 

They sat in silence for a few minutes while Yuuri finished wrapping him up. It wasn’t unpleasant, it was actually kind of comfortable to be cared for by someone, and Yuuri had a calming energy about him that made him feel more at peace than he should have been after being shredded by an evil bitch of a ghost in a dark secret room.

Man, he really needed to stop leaving on his own, he thought, wrinkling his nose a bit at all the bad experiences he’d had and how easily half of them could’ve been avoided. Hell, even the vision of his grandpa would have been brushed off by Yuuri and the others if he had just  _ told  _ them instead of running off. Okay, he was going to save himself the traumatizing experience next time and talk to Yuuri and Viktor before he did anything stupid… hopefully. 

Yuri let out a yelp as he was startled out of his thoughts when he was pulled tight against Yuuri’s chest in a hug. “ _ Stop _ wandering off on you own, Yuri! You’re going to give me and Viktor a stroke!” He whispered, holding the boy close.

“Look who’s talking!” Yuri yelled back, slumping in Yuuri’s arms. 

“Yura... I haven’t gone off on my own a single time,” Yuuri pulled back and Yuri turned to face him, noting the look of confusion he gave him.

“Well don’t! Ever! At all!” 

“I won’t,” Yuuri laughed. “Wouldn’t want to face your wrath.” 

“Good,” Yuri mumbled, pulling the man back into a hug. “Shit, how do you put up with this? God, I feel like shit. I've never been more scared in my life, and this is one of the only cases I've been on that there's been any real activity. You do it all the time— hell, you've done it since you were younger than me,” he said with a bitter laugh, rubbing at his eyes. 

Yuuri gently coaxed his hands away. “It’s okay to cry, Yura. Phichit cried when he touched Katerina’s pin, I cried when Viktor… a-attacked me, and Viktor cried when we found you. Sometimes things get to be too much and that’s okay, alright?” 

Yuri nodded, but kept his attention on his hands so Yuuri wouldn’t see that his eyes had glazed over with renewed tears.

Yuuri smiled sadly down at him. “Good. And… I don't know what to tell you, Yuri. You can learn to defend yourself, but it doesn't always help. It's hard to think rationally when you're scared. I've had a lot of close calls that still give me nightmares, and sometimes the weight of it all crushes me and I feel like I can't breathe. Of course, that's not caught on camera,” he mumbled. 

Yuri stared in shock and mild curiosity as Yuuri stood and pulled his arms out of his clothes, causing it to tumble down to his waist where it caught, exposing a pink scar that was about three inches long and ran from just right of his navel to his side. He turned and Yuri saw that the same scar was on his back. There were a few more that Yuri could see, but this one was different; it was still relatively fresh, Yuri noted in horror.

Yuri gasped. “What the fuck…?” he mumbled. 

“It wasn't… a spirit,” Yuuri said, pulling his sleeves back on. “I had been attempting to do a cleansing, everything started shaking, and a shard of glass from the glass door ran me through. I collapsed and it set my shiki loose, too. I can't remember how I even made it out alive, but when I woke up, I was in the hospital: I had needed  _ hours _ of surgery, and I was told repeatedly how lucky I was that it had only nicked my abdominal aorta; lucky it had missed my spine; lucky it hadn't been any higher, or at any other angle. Phichit and Celestino usually made quick work of getting the doctors and nurses out of my hair, or making them get to whatever they had to say. 

“They didn't want to worry me. Even when I had asked about the case, they only told me that Leo and Guang-Hong had taken care of it. 

“I remembered having so many horrible dreams after that where it wasn't me, it was Celestino, Phichit, Otabek, Guang-Hong, Leo, my sister, everyone I cared about in my place, and they weren't so lucky. Just a little more to the left, just a little bit bigger…” Yuuri trailed off staring blankly at the floor before snapping back to the present with a small shake of his head. “I couldn't work; I was constantly having episodes of panic and anxiety. It's why I had been home when Ms. Baranovskaya called us. I was trying to recollect myself. Phichit knew how to handle it if I were to have another episode, so he came with me.”

“Why did you fucking come? Why the hell do you keep doing this?!” Yuri yelled, eyes wide.

“Because I was gifted with something that can help people and spirits,” Yuuri responded.

Yuri let out a frustrated groan. “This is so fucking stupid! I'm so fucking sick of this thing. I just want it to leave us the fuck alone. I want it to leave this house the fuck alone so we can fucking leave this shitty place.”

“But you won't leave before the case is solved?” Yuuri asked, knowing the answer.

“Fuck no!” 

Yuuri laughed, flopping down onto the bed. “I'm so tired,” he mumbled. “There's so much bad energy in this house and it's so hard to keep my mind clear of it. It's like I'm constantly trying to fight it off,” he said, smiling up at Yuri. 

Yuri laid down next to him, tucking his arms under his head. “You also have to deal with Viktor's flirting bullshit and fend  _ him _ off,” Yuri added. 

Yuuri laughed again at that. “He has gotten a lot bolder, hasn't he?” 

“Yeah! It's disgusting to watch,” Yuri scoffed. 

Yuuri hummed in understanding. “I think he's sweet,” he finally responded. 

Yuri turned to him as if he'd sprouted a second head. “He's a dumbass.” 

“He cares an awful lot about you, though. I've never seen anyone look as horrified or run as fast as him when Otabek told us that you'd gone off on your own,” Yuuri said, turning his body to face Yuri's. 

Yuri huffed, refusing to meet Yuuri's eyes. 

“Otabek seems to care about you a lot, too.” 

Yuri went red, and continued to avoid eye contact. 

“I know he still hasn't apologized about yesterday, but he was just worried-”

“I'm ready to go back!” Yuri called out, jumping to his feet. 

Yuuri laughed, but followed him up and out the door with the first aid kit. 

***

When they got back, Otabek quickly stood and marched over to Yuri, who made himself a little smaller, and ducked his head as Yuuri went around him and towards Viktor.

“I know, I'm reckless and childish and-” he cut himself off when he saw Otabek hold out his hand, revealing a silver cross on a chain. 

“If you're going to keep acting like this, then at least wear this,” he said. 

Yuri hesitated, looking from the necklace, to Otabek. “I-” 

“Are you going to take it or not?” He asked, snapping Yuri out of it. 

He picked it up and pulled it on, bright red as he did and mumbling a small ‘thank you.’ 

“How cute,” Viktor mumbled, getting up from where he sat at the monitors and walking to stand beside Yuuri. “Puppy love.” 

Yuuri laughed, shaking his head. “They're too old for puppy love.” 

He watched with a small smile on his lips as Otabek and Yuri talked, Yuri growing progressively more red. His smile faltered as he noted the light cuts that covered Yuri’s arm and his jaw clenched. 

“What's bothering you?” Viktor asked, startling him.

“Why would you think something is bothering me?” 

“You're quiet,” Viktor responded, turning his body to face him. 

“I tend to be. It's sort of my thing. It's why people call me an enigma,” Yuuri brushed off.

“No… I'm getting to know you, Yuuri Katsuki. Something is bothering you.” 

“You've known me all of three days,  _ Viktor Nikiforov _ , there can't be much that you know,” Yuuri tried, but Viktor's concerned expression didn't leave his face.

“It must be a spiritual bond because I know a lot of things about you. I know that you'd be willing to risk your life for even a single hair off of your team's head. I know that you're starting to see Yura as yours. I know that your brows draw together and you pout in this really cute way when you concentra-” 

“Stop it,” Yuuri scolded, ducking his head. 

“I also know that you embarrass easily when you, yourself, are praised, but practically glow when your team is. Something else I know— something I would bet my life on— is that something is bothering you and so I want to know what it is,” he said, tilting Yuuri's head up to face him. 

“I-it's nothing,” he said, pulling away. 

Viktor waited quietly for Yuuri to tell him the truth, and Yuuri eventually broke. “It's just… I feel like I've been useless this whole case!” Viktor was shocked by Yuuri's outburst, but was quick to try to rid Yuuri of his worries.

“Darling, that's not even remotely tru-” 

“But it is! I haven't been able to see a thing! I feel like I've gone blind! I can usually sense and see them everywhere: in the roads, the park, the hospitals, but here… it's nothing. It's just a feeling of dread that I can't pinpoint and I don't know if it's my own anxiety or if it's actually supernatural, because I can't  _ see _ him! If it weren't for Otabek it would have killed Yuri because I couldn't feel that it was so close and it's driving me crazy! I couldn't sense it in you when you were possessed, either! It could be in this room right now and I wouldn't know. I can't protect my team o-or even Yuri like this and it feels…  _ I _ feel helpless,” he whimpered. 

“You're scared,” Viktor whispered, taking Yuuri's face into his hands.

Yuuri simply nodded. 

“How long have you worried about this on your own?” 

“Since we walked through those doors and it was everywhere and nowhere; it's gotten worse with Yuri. I'm so sorry, I don't think I can keep him safe.” 

“No, you can't, but  _ we _ can. We  _ have _ and he's kept us safe, and I have the raw cuts on my back to prove it,” he joked, drawing a small laugh out of Yuuri. It seemed to begin to change his demeanor back to a more confident one, even if a little shaky. “There's that pretty smile. Do you remember what I told you yesterday? You shouldn't keep these things to yourself.”

“Thank you. It might be because we're practically strangers, but you're easier to talk to about these things than my team,” Yuuri practically whispered, sending the man a timid smile.

“Practically strangers? This is a wound I won't recover from! I was certain I had heard wedding bells in the distance! My own tender heart has been plucked out of my chest and stomped on by a beautiful, yet unconquerable man,” he cried out dramatically, directing the attention of the others to them as he laid himself on the floor. 

Yuuri turned bright red as he knelt next to him. “Viktor, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend! I just meant we had only met three days ago!” 

“It was all too clear what you meant. I understand, it's because of what I had come in believing of you. Now it is I who is nothing to you,” he groaned, still on the ground. 

“Nonono! I would never hold that against you! Really, Viktor. Get up,  _ please _ ?” 

“Just ignore him! He pulls his dramatic bullshit at least once a week,” Yuri called out, stepping closer to the two. He picked Yuuri up and shoved him towards the rest of the team. “Rot into the floorboards for all we care, shitty old man,” he hissed. 

“I will,” Viktor pouted, but couldn't hold back a small smile at Yuri returning to his usual self. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As per my excuses: I have a shitty time writing fanfics at any time other than like 2 am when when everyone’s asleep and it’s dark, and I’ve been too sleepy to be awake at that time recently. Also, I rewrote this whole chapter from what I originally had because this was one of the earlier chapters written but as the story developed it didn’t make sense for things to happen the way they had at first and so I kinda don’t really like how I redid it but it suits the story more :/ Anyway! I’M SO SORRY TO HAVE KEPT YOU WAITING AND I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AND KUDOS AND COMMENTS AND IT REALLY DID BOTH HURT MY HEART AND HELP ME GET THIS DONE THAT SO MANY OF YOU WERE LEAVING KUDOS AND ASKING ME TO CONTINUE THE STORY! I PROMISE I’M STILL HERE AND AM TOTALLY GONNA FINISH THIS! 
> 
> THANKS FOR READING AND COMMENTING AND STUFF!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d like you all to know that I am well aware of the fact that I suck at getting my shit together. But! I did also tell myself to have at least one of the last two chapters done before the Yuri on ice binge and I did it! with two days to spare!   
> Anyway! a summary of the last chapter that I had to read, but only skimmed because it’s 3 in the morning:   
> Yuri gets lured away from the others when he sees an upsetting vision of his grandfather dying while he’s away, and finds the spirit of the girl who had died in the house only days prior and who had been thought to have passed on. She warns him of danger and drags him to a part of the house neither Yuri or the others had seen before and attacks him.   
> Yuri is saved, but is injured from the attack, and is told that his vision wasn’t real. Yuri and Yuuri talk, and Yuuri discloses some of what had happened on the case that had made Yuuri leave to Hasetsu prior to the current case.   
> They return to the base, and Yuuri tells Viktor that he feels like he’s been useless the whole case, which Viktor denies and I think that’s where it ended.   
> Anyway! Here’s the next chapter! I hope it’s okay XD!

Yuri woke up the next day looking and feeling like absolute shit. His head hurt, his neck hurt, he felt like he hadn't slept at all, and on top of it all he felt a horrible fear tugging at his chest, but he couldn’t for the life of him remember any part of his dreams. Oddly enough, when he had woken up, everyone was already up and about, even Phichit, although he didn’t look like he was happy about it. 

No one had even noticed that he was awake. 

“What’s going on?” He asked, sitting up.

“We’re trying to get everything together to open up the floor over the well,” Viktor responded, walking past him and to Yuri’s bag, picking out clothes and toiletries. “Yuuri and I will go with you to do what you need.” 

Yuuri was beside Viktor in an instant, trading a concerned glance with him. 

“Why are you two coming with me? Shouldn’t you stay here and plan or something?” He asked, stacking his bedding and taking his things from Viktor. 

“They have it under control…”

“Yuri, you’ve been the main target to these attacks, we think it’s for the best that-“

“That you babysit me for the rest of this case?” 

“Not  _ babysit _ . Just… keep a close eye on.”

“With each of our track records you can’t seriously believe  _ I’m  _ the only one that needs to be watched closely. He almost killed you, you almost killed me, and it’s supposed to ki-“ Yuri quickly shut himself up, but he saw Yuuri knew where he was going, seeing the man flinch.

“Yura, just-  _ please _ ? Don’t be difficult. Just let us do this for you,” Viktor asked with a tired sigh. 

“Sorry,” he mumbled, knowing that he had worried both of them enough. 

They walked to the restroom in relative silence, with Yuri just a foot in front of Viktor and Yuuri. He stepped in without another glance back and stripped, mindful of his bandaged hands and back and careful to avoid catching sight of the mirror and the numerous cuts on his back; they weren’t deep, but the memory they brought with them was something he couldn’t stand to think about while he was still in the house. 

Yuri made quick work of cleaning himself up and getting dressed in fresh clothes and bandages, with the exception of the ones on his hands. He was about to open the door to ask Viktor and Yuuri for help, when he heard their voices through the door. 

“He was maybe this tall when I first met him,” Viktor said, and Yuri could only imagine he was talking about him. “He was so small, but he was so smart and so ambitious. He listed off information about the paranormal like it was nobody’s business, and always demanded to know everything about a case as soon as I got back. If I told him things were moving in a house, he would tell me all the possible causes, from shoddy foundation to actual spirits, then would ask for more information and discount theories one by one with every new detail of the case until he came to the same conclusion I had come to.” Viktor laughed. “Can you imagine having a child come up to you and solve a case before you even finished describing the activity? I think it was those things that made it easier for me to tell Nikolai ‘yes’ when he asked me if I could give Yuri a position as my assistant. 

“He’s been with me since he was fifteen. Two years of his smart mouth and cocky attitude, and I don’t think I’d ever forgive myself if he had been seriously injured or worse. Even seeing him so—“ Viktor sighed. “I shouldn’t have brought him here. I should’ve looked at the disappearances and  _ known _ to leave him behind.”

“Viktor, this isn’t your fault,” he heard Yuuri’s soft voice soothe. “It’s ridiculous to blame yourself for what this malignant spirit does. It’s targeting Yuri and none of us could have predicted that. It could have just as easily gone after you or me or Phichit or-or  _ any one of us _ —“

“He’s just a kid! I keep bringing him on these cases and putting him in harm’s way because—“

“Because you were just like me when you were younger,” Yuri interrupted, cracking the door open, clearly startling the two men. “Grandpa and Yakov say it all the time: I’m just as cocky as you were; I’m just as smart as you were; I’m just as talented as you were. Yakov says if it weren’t for my temper I’d be exactly like you,” he mumbled before raising his hands. “I need help wrapping them.”

The two men shared a brief look before they followed Yuri back into the restroom. He sat himself on the counter and held his hands out as Viktor and Yuuri each took a hand to bandage. 

Yuri opened and closed his mouth several times before clearing his throat and drawing his mentors’ attention. “I don’t blame you for any of this, Vitya. If it weren’t for all the near death experiences this would actually be a pretty cool case to have worked, and when I get home I’m gonna brag about how I totally saved your ass and you’re going to let me before spilling how many times you had to save me because you’re like my brother and that’s how we are. I’m only gonna say this once, but I like being your assistant. It’s better than being Georgi or Chris or Yakov’s assistant; Georgi’s too dramatic, Chris is a perv, and Yakov doesn’t take my shit. Besides, I’m way past all of them and I would just get bored and get into trouble. You actually put up with me when you don’t have to and I learn from you. So, you know, I don’t think you’re as bad as I always say you are,” he said, mumbling the last part. 

“On top of that, you should be glad you brought me: I stopped you from being a complete dick to Yuuri and ruining your chances with him and even stopped you from killing him.”

“He’s got you there,” Yuuri teased, smiling up at Viktor. “I think your chances would have been a little past ruined if you’d killed me.” 

Viktor finished wrapping Yuri’s hand and turned to Yuuri, who was humming innocently as he finished Yuri’s other hand with a slight smile on his lips. “Just a little?” Viktor asked, stepping closer to the man. 

“Maybe a tad,” Yuuri nodded, a small blush spreading on his cheeks. 

“That would have been a great loss. I never would have known what an amazing person you are; how cute you look with your glasses; how smart and caring you are,” Viktor said, leaning his face towards Yuuri’s until the man closed his eyes and tilted his own head up. 

Yuri turned a bright red and quickly looked away before he felt lips press to his own cheek. “That’s disgusting!” He screeched, scrubbing his newly bandaged hands against his cheek. 

“I think we should both thank Yuri,” Viktor stated innocently, watching in slight amusement as Yuuri opened his own eyes, face as red as Yuri. “Come on, we should be heading back.” 

“You’re absolutely awful, Viktor Nikiforov,” Yuuri huffed, stepping past Viktor and out of the restroom. 

Viktor gave a warm laugh and stepped out after him, watching as Yuri gathered his things and walked out, too. “And  _ you’re  _ absolutely enchanting, Yuuri Katsuki, but I wasn’t going to have our first kiss be in the restroom of a house haunted by a murderous spirit. The hallway, however,” he tilted Yuuri’s chin up and pressed a chaste kiss to Yuuri’s lips before the other man could react. “Is a completely different thing.” 

Yuuri froze, staring up at Viktor with wide eyes. Yuuri’s lack of response made Viktor shift, beginning to doubt himself.

“I’m… sorry, I should have—“ he was cut off as Yuuri surged forward, hands holding Viktor’s face as he pressed a soft, tentative kiss to Viktor’s lips, gathering courage when Viktor didn’t pull back to deepen it. 

Yuri quickly turned away, face turning a bright red. “I’d like to go back now!” He announced loudly, refusing to turn back as he heard footsteps approach him. He began to walk away when he heard them just behind him, letting the men catch up to him. They both smiled shyly at him, walking on either side, occasionally shooting each other glances. They were practically glowing from how happy they were.

“I hope you two are proud of yourselves. You’ve scarred me for life. Out of everything I’ve seen here that was absolutely the most horrible, traumatizing, disgusting—“ Yuri let out a startled cry when Yuuri and Viktor sandwiched him between them in a hug. “ _ Stop! _ Get off of me! I am injured and I don’t need to be manhandled like this, dammit!” He cried, not really fighting to get out of their hold. 

“Are we hurting you, Yura?” Viktor asked, sounding concerned. 

Yuri chewed on the inside of his cheek, grumbling out a small ‘no’ that made the two men laugh, but pull away anyway. Yuri looked up to find them both still smiling brightly. He hummed in resignation. Between this or the look of guilt and fear on their faces earlier, he would much rather have this, even if it was gross and embarrassing… speaking of….

“I don’t know how you guys can be so happy when everybody probably saw you through the camera,” he said, scoffing as he sped up, leaving Viktor and Yuuri to walk side by side a foot behind him. 

He heard one of their steps falter before Yuuri groaned out a soft “oh no.” Viktor only laughed in response, taking Yuuri’s hand in his and pressing a kiss to his knuckles, keeping them intertwined between them. 

Yuuri hid behind Viktor as they stepped into the room, but it did little to protect him from the whistles and teasing when they re-entered the room. 

“Get it, Yuuri!” 

“It’s always the quiet ones.”

“All of you bitches owe me money!” 

“Why are you like this?!” Yuuri squeaked out, staying behind Viktor, who was taking all of it with a good-natured smile, keeping Yuuri’s hand in his. 

“We all knew where this was going, Yuuri. It was just a matter of when,” Phichit said, taking money from Guang-Hong, Leo, and Otabek. 

“Why didn’t you let me in on that?” Yuri asked with a pout, pushing past the others to go back to seat himself at the monitors next to Otabek. 

“You weren’t in the group chat,” Phichit said with a shrug. 

Yuuri’s brow creased as he looked through his phone. “There’s nothing in our group chat about this.”

“No, not  _ our _ group chat.  _ Our _ group chat,” Phichit said, motioning at everyone on Yuuri’s team but Yuuri. “Celestino and I made it after the last case to check in on your well-being while we were at Hasetsu because he said you kept saying you were fine and now we just kinda have it to talk about your love life and emotional well being. It’s called ‘Yuuri Support Group.’ Celestino was way off, in case you were wondering. He owes me money, too.” Phichit explained smiling deviously at his phone as he texted someone— most likely Celestino. 

“We also keep tabs on your physical well being!” Guang-Hong added, trying to put Yuuri at ease. 

“But we also talk about how things are looking for you and Seung Gil— you owe  _ me _ money Mr. ‘opposites attract, they’ll be engaged within the year,’” Otabek called out to Phichit, who waved him off. 

“The year’s not up- of course I believe in your relationship, but you know,” he added, quickly looking up at Viktor and Yuuri, before shifting his attention back to his phone. “My stupid text isn’t sending,” Phichit grumbled. “Leo, be a pal and tell Ciao Ciao I won the pool, yeah?” He nudged the boy next to him. 

“Yeah, I got it,” he said, typing something. “Or… not? My text isn’t sending either,” he said, repeatedly tapping on his phone. 

“Whatever, I’ll tell him when I get signal again,” Phichit shrugged, jumping to his feet. “ _ Anyway! _ Let’s go get that rope so we could start getting this over with,” he said, standing from his seat. 

“I’ll go with you,” Guang-Hong said, standing and following Phichit out the door. 

“Sorry we didn’t believe in your ability to woo men like Phichit, Yuuri,” Leo teased. 

“We did get your first kiss on camera as a memento, though,” Otabek added, giving Yuuri a small, mischievous smile. 

“You’re all awful,” Yuuri huffed, unable to hide the small smile that tugged at his lips as he looked up at Viktor, who smiled back down at him. 

****

It wasn’t long before Guang-Hong and Phichit returned empty handed, both looking a little concerned. 

“Uh… hey, did anyone say anything about locking us in?” Phichit asked uncertainly, exchanging a look with Guang-Hong.

“Not that I know of,” Viktor responded, walking over to them. “The doors are locked?” 

“We couldn’t get them to open…” Guang-Hong mumbled. 

“They could just be stuck, I’ll go with you again, see if I can get them open,” he said, turning to Yuri. “Yura, I’m going to go with Phichit and Guang-Hong.  _ Don’t move _ .” 

“Whatever,” Yuri responded, noting temperatures and time as Otabek read them out to him room by room. Everything was pretty quiet for now, he decided, putting away his chart and watching the three men through the monitors. He heard footsteps and turned to find Leo and Yuuri looking over them at the screens, too. 

“The house is old, maybe it’s just a problem with the lock,” Leo said. 

Yuuri didn’t respond, he only watched the screen as if he expected something to happen. 

They all saw as Viktor turned the lock on the door and pulled, then turned it again, doing the same thing. They watched as Viktor yanked the doorknob off the door, without it budging an inch. 

Yuuri stepped away from the monitors and walked towards the window, opening the latch and tried pushing it up without it even a creak from it. 

Otabek and Leo were quickly at his side, but even their combined efforts did nothing to pry open the stubborn window. 

Yuri only watched, his heart beat and his breathing speeding up as he watched the failed efforts in front of him and on the screens to open anything to the outside. 

They were trapped. 

Otabek picked up one of the chairs and threw it at the window, breaking off one of the legs on the chair, but not even scratching the window.

They were stuck in this house with  _ that thing _ .

Viktor, Guang-Hong, and Phichit rushed back in to tell them what they had already seen. All the ways out were sealed.

It was going to pick them off one by one, he thought with a small whimper. 

“Yuri, breathe. Everything’s gonna be okay.”

“ _ How _ can you say it’s going to be okay when we’re  _ trapped?! _ When it’s been picking at us since we got here!” 

“We… can try to exorcise the house,” Leo suggested, looking back at Guang-Hong. 

“No… I  _ know _ there are helpless spirits trapped here. It’s still getting stronger, and it has to be drawing its energy from something,” Guang-Hong responded. 

“Maybe it's drawing it from us. It doesn’t  _ matter _ , we  _ can’t _ stay here; it’s not safe for us, especially not Yuri!” Viktor said, raising his voice.

“We can’t exorcise it,” Yuuri mumbled. “It could be dangerous for all of us. If it’s gotten this strong… I don’t know that we’ll be safe performing an exorcism…” 

The room grew quiet as Yuuri’s words sank in. 

“There has to be something,” Otabek urged. 

“We can look for the man’s body,” Phichit said, dropping into a chair with a sigh. 

“And pray it’s somewhere in the house,” Leo added, drawing his hand through his hair and pushing it out of his face. 

“Maybe… we can call someone? They could open the door from the outside,” Guang-Hong suggested, looking hopeful.

“No service,” Phichit responded, solemnly. 

Viktor threw his hands up in exasperation “Well, we’re not just gonna die here!” 

“Of course not,” Yuuri responded calmly, but Yuri could see a small tremble in his hands. “We just need to come up with a new plan.” 

“You make it sound so simple,” Yuri spat back. “As if we have so many options while we’re trapped here and can't go off on our own. When we can’t even be safe  _ in a room full of people _ !” 

“Please calm down, Yuri.” 

“ _ How  _ do you expect me to calm down?!” He yelled, sending his chair crashing across the room. Yuuri jumped back, using the table to keep himself steady. 

Otabek stood, moving in front of Yuri, and holding the teen’s hands in front of him. Yuri tried to pull away, but was held in place by Otabek. “We expect you to  _ try  _ because  _ this _ isn’t helping anybody. You’re going to end up hurting yourself or someone else.  _ This _ is how it wants you to feel and  _ this _ is how it needs us to be able to get to us. You’re playing into its hand. Are you really going to let yourself be manipulated so easily?” Otabek challenged. 

Yuri  slowly put his hands down as Otabek loosened his hold, looking away with a huff. “‘Course not; I’m not its bitch.”

“Great! So, now that we’re all a little more calm, we can start brainstorming,” Phichit said, taking control of the situation as Yuuri stood beside him with a distant look on his face, his mind somewhere else entirely.

Yuri looked from him to Otabek, nodding in Yuuri’s direction. 

“Yuuri?” Otabek called out, snapping him back to attention. 

“O-oh, sorry. We’re… d-deciding what to do?” He asked, looking around the room.

“Are you alright, darling?” Viktor asked, gently tilting Yuuri’s face up to look at him. 

Yuuri pulled away, taking Viktor’s hand in his. 

“I’m just a little tired. I don’t like it here. I told you I feel like I can’t see anything and it just makes me feel unsafe so I’ve been having trouble sleeping,” he brushed off and Yuri saw him shutter into himself for another instant before he looked back up to the others. “So, I guess we should start figuring out what to do?” 

“You should let us try an exorcism, Yuuri. If we keep it as a final hail mary it could be too late. Guang-Hong and I could go in there alone so no one else is in danger and-“

“ _ I told you it was too dangerous _ !” 

Yuri jumped a bit at the sound of Yuuri raising his voice, looking between Yuuri and the others to see that they looked just as surprised as him. 

“I-I’m sorry, but I said no. No one else is risking their lives on this case,” he stated, decidedly. “We can find a way around it.” 

“R-right. Maybe we’ll think better after breakfast,” Guang-Hong suggested, clearly trying to do away with the tense atmosphere in the room that had gathered after two outbursts from two different Yu(u)ris. 

“Yes! Food! That’s always a good idea!” Phichit said, clapping his hands together as he sprung up from his seat and headed towards the door with Leo and Guang-Hong right behind him followed by Otabek and Yuri, with Viktor and Yuuri standing and heading over a few steps back. 

Yuri slowed when he saw Yuuri and Viktor fall further back, but stayed far enough so that they could talk without the fear of him listening. 

“What did you mean by letting ‘anyone else’ risk their lives, Yuuri?” Viktor asked in a hushed voice. 

“I just misspoke. I told you I was tired. It came out wrong,” Yuuri reassured him, taking Viktor’s hand into his own and walking the rest of the way with him hand in hand. Viktor didn’t ask anymore questions after that.

Yuri groaned. Of course that was all it took to distract Viktor’s stupid ass. Fine, he would confront Yuuri himself later. 

***

Throughout breakfast, the two groups threw out ideas on how to fight this thing, but all of them were put aside with a “maybe” or a “we’ll see.” The closest they had gotten to a solution was a shaky plan to maybe  _ trap _ the spirit. 

Yuri didn’t hear much of that plan, shifting his attention to Yuuri, who was strangely quiet through most of their strategizing. He hardly ate, and his hands shook in a way that you might have missed if you weren’t paying attention. He turned to look at Viktor, who was also watching Yuuri. Yuri gestured at Viktor to do something, but Viktor shook his head and leaned closer to Yuri. 

“He won’t tell me the truth. What do you want me to do? Tie him down to make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid?” Viktor whispered.

“ _ Yes _ ,” Yuri hissed back. 

Viktor’s eyes shifted between the two. “The rope is still in the car,” he mumbled, then straightened himself, and went back to listening to the others. 

***

Yuri finally got the nerve to confront Yuuri on their way back, pulling him back so that they made up the tail end of their group, a few feet away from the others where Viktor and Phichit led the group, continuing to talk about ways to end the case.

Yuuri looked startled at the abruptness of it, and probably because he had still been stuck in his head, but Yuri didn’t care. He kept his grip on Yuuri tight, and met his eyes. 

“Whatever you’re thinking of doing,  _ don’t _ . You’re not going to sacrifice yourself just because you think we’re not strong enough to face this-“ 

“That’s not it!” Yuuri argued, pulling himself free from Yuri. “You don’t understand, I know you’re strong.  _ All of you _ , but  _ I  _ was the one that made us stay.  _ I’m  _ the reason we’re trapped. Viktor wanted to leave and just burn this place down and we  _ should  _ have. We could’ve… I don't know, come back to recover the bodies, but I thought maybe we could beat this. I let my pride put us in such a dangerous situation, and it’s not fair to ask anyone else to risk themselves to get us out. I know you’re strong, but  _ I  _ was the one to underestimate this thing, and I wanted to be the only one to-“ 

“Die if it all went to shit? Which it  _ will  _ if you lock yourself in there and try to face it alone. I  _ saw  _ you die in that room, Yuuri. I don’t want you to die; Viktor doesn’t want you to die, and neither does Otabek or Phichit or anyone else, okay? Imagine what would happen to us if you died in the middle of this case while we’re still locked in here if nothing else will stop you.” 

Yuuri watched him for what felt like years, neither one willing to break eye contact, until Yuuri turned away, nodding. “I won’t do anything stupid.” 

“Good. C’mon, let’s go see what other ideas they have.” 

***

When they stepped into the room, Otabek was quick to pull Yuri aside. 

“Did you talk some sense into him?” He asked, surprising Yuri.

“Yea-wh-wait, you knew he was going to do something stupid?! Why didn’t  _ you  _ talk to him?” 

“You’re louder,” Otabek shrugged. 

“You were pretty loud when you were yelling at me the other night,” Yuri shot back. 

“You can take it if I yell at you. If I yelled at Yuuri, Guang-Hong, Leo, or even Phichit I think I’d upset them, more than actually get through to them, but Yuuri’s come to accept that you’re just naturally loud and aggressive.” 

“Yeah, I guess if a brick wall yelled at me I’d be pretty upset, too,” he responded, looking away so Otabek wouldn’t see the smile on his lips. 

“A brick wall  _ did _ yell at you and you were  _ terrified _ ,” Otabek shot back, not even trying to hold back or hide the teasing smile on his lips. 

Yuri scoffed as he sat himself at his seat on the monitors. “I wasn’t scared  _ of you _ . I was scared  _ for _ Viktor. 

“You’re full of shit,” Otabek responded, sitting down next to him. 

“Since when do Yuuri’s boy scouts curse?” 

“Since you joined.” 

“... Phichit cursed the other day at Viktor,” was the only thing he could think to respond, at least wanting the last word. 

“Then why do you ask? We started the other day,” Otabek shrugged, turning his attention to the monitors. 

Yuri watched him for a few moments, not sure if he should be annoyed or amused with Otabek’s responses. “You’re a smartass,” he declared, not turning away from Otabek. 

Otabek let out a breath of laughter. “So are you.” 

“That’s what I’m saying; there can only be one.”

Otabek hummed, playing along as he looked over his shoulder. “Phichit is too.”

“Phichit is three, which is worse,” Yuri responded as seriously as he could, a small smile forming on the corner of his lips before he cleared it back to serious.

“And what do you propose we do?” 

“We should meet up to talk it over some time,” Yuri shrugged, not missing the way a knowing smile spread on Otabek’s lips. 

“Like a date?” 

“Or any other similar word.” 

“Hmmm… I don’t know if I’d be free for any other similar word.”

“Then it’s a date,” Yuri tried to say nonchalantly, but couldn’t help the hint of a smile and blush that came with the statement. 

“Then it’s a date.”

“Great. What are the temperatures for each room?” 

***

Yuri leaned back on his chair and yawned, looking up from his report to the monitors, where everything seemed to be normal. “What time is it? I’m tired,” he called out. 

“There are multiple perfectly good screens with the time on each and every one of them right in front of you,” Viktor responded, pausing in his typing to rub at his eyes. 

“That’s four, Yura,” Otabek said, recording the time and temperatures for each of the rooms, with little to no change from the four other times they’d recorded them throughout the day.

“What’s four?” Viktor asked, looking between them. They both ignored him with a shrug. 

“It’s 10:23,” Yuuri replied, as the only one that could tell time in the entire room, apparently. Yuri looked back to see why no one else had responded to find Phichit and Guang-Hong out cold, Leo holding his head up on his hand as he lazily flipped through their notes, eyes looking distant, as if he wasn’t even processing what was on the page. 

“How the hell are they asleep already?!” 

“This case is developing to be more and more hopeless, and on top of that is the weight of the negative energy that even I’m beginning to feel. It’s exhausting,” Viktor responded, shutting his laptop and moving to grab from their pile of bedding. “Help me lay out some blankets. They’ll hurt themselves sleeping like that.”

Yuri went to help, glad for the excuse to move a little. “That’d be embarrassing; you work a case like this and the injury you  _ do _ get is from a crick in the neck. You don’t even get a cool story for that!”

“You know what’s an even more embarrassing injury? Having a grid’s worth of cuts on your back because your assistant wanted to exorcise you without knowing how but just went and did it anyway,” Viktor responded, laughing at the indignant noise Yuri made. 

“Yeah that  _ is  _ embarrassing because you must be a real dumbass to lose the one thing that’s keeping you safe from possession that would cause your assistant to need to try and exorcise you so you don’t kill the guy you got a crush on!” Yuri yelled back. He turned to check on Phichit and Guang-Hong, only to find that they were both still sleeping. 

“You’re just never going to live that down,” Yuuri laughed. 

“I’m not,” Viktor said with a dramatic sigh, laying down a pillow and making his way to Yuuri. “But you forgive me don’t you, darling?” 

“Of  _ course _ I do, Viktor. You were possessed… but are you sure you dropped it? You didn’t just—I don’t know— throw it away because you didn’t think it was real?” Yuuri asked, a barely restrained smile spreading on his lips as he saw Viktor press his hands over his heart. 

“Oh, double Yu(u)ri take down,” Otabek called out, standing to move Phichit. “Also, that’s five.”

“Even the object of my affections reminds me of my own failures!” 

“Viktor, shut up. You’re going to wake them up. Go lick your wounds somewhere else…  _ quietly.”  _ Yuri went to help Yuuri move Leo, who by now was fast asleep, his head still held up by his hand. 

Viktor pouted, but went to put Guang-Hong to bed without further complaint. 

When all three were tucked in, and the rest of the bedding was put down Yuuri went to Viktor and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of Viktor’s mouth, cradling his head in his hands as he did. 

“I’m really glad I met you.” 

Viktor drew back, taking Yuuri’s hand in his own. “I’m glad I met you, too, but why…? Yuuri, we’re not going to die here. You know that, right?” 

“You  _ told  _ me you weren’t going to do anything stupid, Yuuri,” Yuri said, stepping up to the couple. 

“I’m  _ not _ . It’s just… I don’t know what’s going to happen while we sleep. When we wake up, I don’t know how many of us are going to be left and it  _ scares _ me and I just,” Yuuri let out a choked sob. “I don’t even know if I’ll be here and I  _ hate _ this case, but if it… doesn’t end in our favor I’m glad to have at least met you-  _ both _ of you,” he finished, pulling Yuri into a hug. 

Over Yuuri’s shoulder, Yuri saw Viktor let out a sigh and cover his eyes with his hand, his whole posture slumping, and it scared him. 

This felt like a final goodbye. It felt like they were admitting defeat. 

He didn’t want to die. He didn’t want Viktor to die. Or Yuuri, or Otabek, or anybody. He held Yuuri tighter, feeling him shake in his arms, and saw Viktor let out a shaky breath and saw the happiness from that morning start to dissolve and he couldn’t stand it.

“When we finish this case,” he started, his voice sounding strained, “you’re going to come to Russia with the others so we can document your abilities, and I’m going to introduce you to Yakov, and the look on his face is going to be fucking hilarious.” Yuuri’s quiet crying paused, and even Viktor looked up at him with red rimmed eyes, so he cleared his throat and continued. “After that we’re going to go to Hasetsu with you, and you, Leo, Phichit, and Guang-Hong are going to help me with this stupid precog because I don’t want to be seeing random shit about random people I don’t know, and me and Otabek are going to go on a date. Then, you’re going to start filming a new season and this time Viktor’s going to watch it with me; hell, he’ll probably be more excited about watching it than me. And we’re going to be able to do all that because we’re not going to die here. Because Viktor taught me enough to know how to survive and Yakov and my grandpa taught him, and you taught me and the others, and your weird spirit guide or whatever taught you, and we’ve all had great teachers,” he finished, sniffling, and blinking his eyes to keep on a brave face as he pulled back from Yuuri. “So we’re not going to let a stupid, homicidal ghost get the best of us.”

“Thank you,” Yuuri said with a teary laugh, wiping his eyes. 

“You and Otabek are going on a date?” Viktor asked, trying to steer the conversation to something lighter. “As your confirmed big brother figure, I don’t think I’m okay with you dating just yet.”

Yuri turned bright red. “As your little brother figure  _ I _ think Yuuri’s too good for your stupid, dramatic ass!” 

“Hm, looks like we’re going to have to cancel our date,” Otabek said.

“ _ Don’t  _ encourage him!” Yuri hissed. 

“I feel like as Viktor’s boyfriend, that gives me the same standing as Viktor as your big brother figure, and I think you’re old enough to be dating,” Yuuri shrugged. 

“Ha! I’m going to move to America with Yuuri and you can find yourself another assistant!” 

“You wouldn’t leave me all alone, Yuri. You’re not that cruel. Besides, Yuuri wouldn’t-“

“Don’t worry, Viktor, you can visit us,” Yuuri responded.

“ _ Yuuri _ ,” Viktor whined, “we’re supposed to be a team!” 

“Yuri can share a room with me when he comes,” Otabek added.

“Wait-“

“That’s a wonderful idea. We’ll talk it over in the morning. For now we should turn in for the night. Did you want to sleep next to Yuri to get a feel for it?” Yuuri asked Otabek, earning a scandalized noise from Viktor. 

The man was quick to grab Yuri and pull him to his side. “Yuri will stay next to  _ me _ where he is safe, and you’re going to need to ask for my permission to date him and the answer is ‘no’ so there’s nothing to talk about in the morning,” Viktor declared, pulling Yuri down to lay next to him. 

“You’re being a stupid idiot, Viktor,” Yuri said, trying his best to come off as annoyed, but letting himself be dragged onto the pile of bedding beside Viktor. Yuuri and Otabek were still standing, with Yuuri holding a hand over his mouth to quiet his laughter, but not doing a very good job, since he was laughing hard enough to double over. 

Even Otabek, who Yuri had only seen express the two emotions of rage and mild amusement was laughing at Viktor’s bizarre form of torture. 

It made things feel like they were going to be okay, for a while. He thought they were going to all wake up tomorrow and take this thing on head on, but only for a while. As his entire body felt too heavy and his eyes burned the longer he kept them open, a sudden cold dread filled him as he looked over to find Otabek and Viktor fast asleep, but Yuuri wasn’t. 

Yuuri was sitting up, his arms hugging his legs as he just looked at the door. 

“You can’t,” Yuri slurred, snapping Yuuri’s attention over to him.

“Go to sleep, Yuri,” Yuuri whispered, looking away, and Yuri instantly felt exhausted, with black edging in on his vision. “This … soon. Everything …. okay.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m weak. That’s why y’all got a kiss this chapter. This chapter felt a little rushed to me, but i did skim it the last time I was looking it over so that might be it...  
> Also, completely unrelated, but my brother was watching Ghost Adventures the other day and this lady was talking about how she experienced a lot of scary things in the house or wtvr that they were investigating and Zak was like “but you’re okay talking about it now because we’re here, right? you know you’re safe now that we’re here.” … like ??? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ZAK?? ALL YOU GOT IS A CAMERA AND SOME GHOST HUNTING EQUIPMENT??? IF THERE WERE GHOSTS ALL YOU COULD DO WAS FILM THEM WHILE SHOUTING INSULTS.   
> aaaaanyway XD sorry, that just really annoyed me. But aside from that, I’ve been considering writing another arc for another case, and I’ve started it, and it’s part of the reason I was kinda late on this aside from my stupid schedule being eaten up by late shifts and physical therapy three times a week because some asshole can’t fucking drive.  
>  Anyway! I want to get at least 3 of the next arc’s chapters done before I finish this one just to see how it’s going and if I’m actually going to go through with it! Also in case I do want to, I want to have them so I could post them right after this one. But it went from a maybe to a strong probably!   
> Anyway! Sorry I was so late! Thank you for the kudos and comments and just reading! I appreciate it!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been sitting completed in my documents for the longest, but I really didn’t want to post it without having a solid grasp on the second arc, but I’m sure it’s fine!! I hope it doesn’t seem rushed...   
> LAST CHAPTER RECAP: After the scare of almost losing Yuri, Yuuri and Viktor do their best to keep their eyes on him at all times, but the fear of having been wrong in bringing Yuri along into a dangerous case gnaws at Viktor as he reveals their past to Yuuri, while Yuri listens in, and interrupts, reassuring Viktor that everything is going to be okay, but things seem to continue to worsen as they come to the realization that they’re trapped inside the house, with no way to contact the outside world.   
> Yuri and Yuuri each react strongly to the news, with Yuuri believing that it’s his fault that they’re in that situation and attempting to take responsibility of resolving the issue, but is quickly found out and dissuaded.   
> As night comes, sleep consumes everyone except for Yuuri and Yuri, who realizes Yuuri has put everyone to sleep, but is unable to do anything before he’s influenced as well.

Yuri awoke abruptly. His eyes simply blinked open of their own accord and his consciousness returned in a wave. He sat up and only blinked a few seconds as a gnawing feeling in his chest told him that he had something urgent to do, but what the hell could he have to do now? It wasn't even day out yet. 

Suddenly, he heard it. 

One

Two

Three chimes.

He quickly looked around the room, the empty space beside him and the dream-like scene he had experienced before falling unconscious returned to him. 

“Shit!” He yelled, turning to Viktor, who was asleep beside him. He shook the man, but he wouldn't budge. 

“Viktor! Viktor wake the fuck up!” He yelled, but the man didn't stir. “Viktor!” He yelled again, desperately. “ _ Viktor!  _ We need to get Yuuri! Viktor it’s happening!”

He let out a frustrated shout, that didn’t wake up a single person. 

He turned to the spot beside Yuuri's empty bedding and tried to wake Phichit, but the man didn't stir either. 

“Otabek!” He yelled. 

_ Nothing _ .

He quickly looked down to his own place on the floor to find it empty; he wasn't dreaming.

Fuck.

_ Fuck _ ! 

He couldn't go out alone. Otabek, Yuuri, Viktor- everyone- had told him to be careful; they had all tried to keep him safe and he couldn't just waste their efforts by going out like this, but if he didn't _ - _

His mind flashed Yuuri's horrified face from his vision the first day and he made up his mind. He stood, and ran to the room he knew Yuuri and that thing were in, not even sparing a last glance to the others.

He sprinted through the halls that had previously been a labyrinth, but were now as familiar to him as his own home due to the countless trips to the cameras and his time there. 

Yuri pulled the door to the room open with less resistance than he had expected, releasing the foul smell of decay—he paid it no mind— quickly running in to see Yuuri was already being dragged towards the center. 

He saw Yuuri's eyes widen at the sight of him. “Yuuri!” He yelled, running after him and catching his hand just before he slipped down, getting himself dragged into the well along with him.

_ ‘Cold _ ’ was the first thing that flashed through Yuri’s head when he grabbed Yuuri’s hand, before the world shifted and the air was knocked out of him as he crashed against the hard floor of the well. 

He coughed a few times trying to get his breathing back in order. He could feel the new bruises forming, adding to the dozen he had gathered while there, but at least the well wasn’t as deep as they had predicted, meaning he was still alive, or at least he hoped he was.

He opened his eyes to find the same darkness as when his eyes had been closed. “Yuuri?” He asked, voice shaky.

No response. 

“ _ Yuuri _ ?” He tried again a little louder, but still nothing. He got onto his hands and knees and began feeling around the floor of the well hoping Yuuri was alive and okay. 

His hands only met dirt as he continued to feel around, until he hit something cold,  _ ice cold _ . It was stiff, smooth, and Yuri tentatively tried to move his hands a bit further up, feeling something slimy and  _ moving _ wriggle against his hands. 

Realization hit Yuri like a truck and he gagged, pulling his hands back,  _ knowing _ that  _ that _ was at least part of the source of the smell. The maggots that had been working on the corpse writhed on his hands, and Yuri quickly drew back, wiping them against the ground to get them off.

He began to dry heave.

_ Ms. Baranovskaya? I thought I heard your voice, are you okay? _

Yuri’s breathing sped up as his eyes began to water.

_ Where did everybody go? _

“Yuuri?” He called out one more time, this time  _ knowing _ he wasn’t going to get a response.

_ I’m not. It’s just… I don’t know what’s going to happen while we sleep. When we wake up, I don’t know how many of us are going to be left and it scares me. _

“Oh god,” he whispered, drawing his knees to his chest. “Oh god, oh god, oh god. It was so  _ dark  _ it’s a new  _ fucking  _ moon, but he was right  _ there _ . His hand was so cold; I’m a fucking  _ idiot _ !” He screamed, the insult echoing around him.

Yuuri had never left the room. Yuri had never really tried to wake up Viktor, he had just been made to believe it. Yuuri had changed his mind because he had promised him he would and maybe he had thought about going back on it and maybe that’s why he was awake, but if he had, it wouldn’t be almost 5 hours later. 

Yuri was lured here. 

The doors opened and closed just for him, and he was the fucking idiot that went in. Yuri let out a noise of frustration, tugging at his hair, but froze at the sound of breathing that wasn’t his own. 

Everything suddenly felt cold; everything except Otabek’s cross that lay warm against his chest. “O-our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name,” he prayed, barely above a whisper clutching the cross through his shirt. “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” he continued, keeping his head down, too afraid at what he might find if he looked up. 

The cross felt hot and heavy around his neck, while the space around him suddenly felt below freezing. A snarl bounced off the well and echoed around him and filled him with anger more than anything else.

He was sick of this.

He was sick of the shitty mind games; he was sick of seeing everyone always on edge, and he was pissed at how upset Yuuri and Viktor had been this whole damn case. 

Yuuri survived a demon attack and Yuri be  _ damned  _ if he got taken out by anything less. He looked up, seeing nothing in the darkness, but hearing an outraged shriek from just in front of him. 

“Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors,” he continued, pushing himself off the ground and onto his feet. “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

Yuri made to begin the nine cuts, but was thrown back against the wall of the well, cutting off his prayer and lowering his last defense against the spirit.

He made to resume, but all that came out was a choked out gasp.

He felt as if he’d been struck in the shoulder, but the growing hot heat soaking into his clothes alerted him to what had really happened. Yuri’s body lurched forward and he let out a scream as the weapon was yanked from his shoulder, then plunged into his abdomen, eliciting a pained whimper from Yuri. 

He caught the blade as it was beginning to be tugged out again, fighting to keep it inside him as his other hand applied pressure to his wounded shoulder. 

“God arises; His enemies are scattered,” he choked out, hand shaking as he struggled to hold onto the weapon lodged inside of him. He knew that if it was pulled out, there would be nothing keeping him from bleeding out. “And those who hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, so are they driven,” he panted out, slouching against the side of the well, while maintaining a vice grip on the handle of the knife. “As wax melts-“ Yuri let out a startled grunt as light suddenly overcame his vision, emerging from just beyond where the spirit stood. 

“We drive you from us,” he heard Leo say, but couldn’t see beyond the blinding lights that chased each other around, encircling a silhouette, that began to look less and less human the longer it was trapped. His vision was beginning to blur, but he was able to make out Yuuri and Guang-Hong standing on each side of the spirit, their combined shiki making the perfect seal. 

_ How had they gotten there _ ? 

“Whoever you may be, unclean spirits, all satanic powers, all infernal invaders, all wicked legions-“ Yuri found it harder and harder to focus on or even understand the words. 

He used the bloody hand that had been pressing against his shoulder to try and keep himself upright.

_ “Don’t break, Yuuri! _ ” He heard Otabek command. “You release it and it’ll be worse!” 

Suddenly, there was a figure looming over him, and Yuri let out another whimper, but was soothed as a gentle hand cleared the hair out of his face and kept him steady. “You’re… Yura… fine,” he heard as his body became weaker, and he began to find it hard to focus on the world around him.

“...  _ Yura? Yuri!” _

****

Yuri slowly became aware of a rhythmic beeping just beside himself, and the quiet murmur of a conversation that came from the corner of the room, and groaned as the slow return to consciousness came with the pain in both his shoulder and stomach. 

“Yuri?” 

Yuri slowly opened his eyes, looking up at a stark white ceiling before shifting his attention to where he had heard the voices come from, the television, which made sense since none of the voices had sounded like anybody he knew. He looked beside himself. “Otabek?” He mumbled, taking in the rest of his surroundings. 

The hospital. 

_ Right _ , he thought as everything came flooding back. 

“We finished the case?” He slurred. 

Otabek let out an empty laugh. “It’s done. If we hadn’t, we would still be trapped.” 

Yuri hummed in agreement. “Where is everyone?” 

“Guang-Hong and Leo were exhausted after the exorcism, so they’re at the hotel resting. I had to send away Yuuri and Viktor to go eat and rest, and made Phichit go with them to make sure they did. They hadn’t left your side since it was safe to let their guard down.”

Yuri only nodded, and the room became uncomfortably quiet, with whatever was on the tv still playing quietly in the background. He sat up with a pained hiss, looking to Otabek, who was standing now standing over him to try and help Yuri adjust himself. 

“So, what? You’re not gonna yell at me for being stupid again?” 

“Did you want me to?” He shot Yuri an amused look, before sighing and letting his shoulders drop. “You were being targeted relentlessly by that spirit, Yuri. It did what it could to pull you away from us, and I can’t blame you for falling for it because if I had noticed that Yuuri was using his PK on us, or had seen him up looking like he was about to do something stupid, I would have gone after him, too. You were tricked, Yura, and I’m not going to yell at you for falling for a trap that was created after days of that thing watching us and getting to know us.” 

“How did you get to me?” Yuri asked, remembering that the others had entered from somewhere behind the spirit, not from above, but if they had had a way to just waltz in like they had they wouldn’t have been planning some complicated thing with ropes and trying to figure out how deep wells were. He thought of the direction they came in: They either came in from an entrance outside— which was impossible— or from inside the house. None of the rooms they had investigated had any kind of stairs or accommodations for hidden stairs— except “The cellar?” Yuri asked, earning a smile from Otabek.

“Yeah, it was removed from the newer blueprint and made to look as if it was part of the kitchen. Looking back, it was stupid that we’d missed the inconsistency in the shape and blueprint, but we had been so caught up on the well. Viktor was the one that suggested it might be a good place to start, since we couldn’t go in the same way you did,” he joked. “They were connected by an underground passage that opened up just behind the stairs… We found all the bodies there; they’ve been returned to their families to be put to rest.” Yuri nodded, then stopped abruptly, looking up to Otabek. 

“It was targeting me? Me,  _ specifically _ ?” Otabek nodded. “What the shit, _ why _ ?!”

Otabek looked down at his hands for a second before he met Yuri’s eyes with an intense look, that surprised him. “I told you, Yuri: you have the eyes of a soldier. It’s… harder to force spirits from a strong willed person. The spirits of the victims in the house sensed that from you and latched on. Yuuri said he felt your energy change when it was all said and done. We’re assuming you were, in a way, possessed. The malevolent spirit drew its power from the ones trapped in the house, and you were protecting a large portion of them, keeping it from getting stronger. You saved us.”

Yuri just sat there, trying to process everything he’d just been told. “So I got screwed because a bunch of ghosts thought I was the sturdiest human shield? That’s a load of bull- you never told me anything about having the eyes of a soldier,” he said, brows furrowing as he tried to remember anything about that.

Otabek shrugged. “I did while you were falling out of consciousness.” 

“That doesn’t fucking count!”

Otabek chuckled, leaning closer to Yuri. “Did you want me to say it again?” He asked, voice lower. Yuri didn’t respond, only turned away when he could feel himself growing red.

Otabek hummed, taking that as Yuri’s answer and stood. “Let me get a doctor to check on you now that you’re awake,” he said, walking towards the door.

“Otabek,” Yuri called out, stopping the man and slowly drawing him back to Yuri. 

He raised a brow, as if to ask what he needed, and Yuri moved forward quicker than Otabek could react, pulling him in by his shirt and placing a hard kiss on his lips. He stumbled a bit, placing his hands on the edge of Yuri’s bed to steady himself, then moved one to cup Yuri’s face as the kiss grew deeper. The pain that surged through Yuri at the sudden movement was smothered by the butterflies in his stomach and the pleasure of feeling Otabek’s lips mold against his own. 

They both broke away panting and Yuri sent Otabek a small smile and shrugged. “I needed at least  _ one _ good memory from this case.” 

“Glad I could help,” Otabek responded, voice a little rough. They locked eyes for a moment, both unwilling to look away.

Otabek broke eye contact first, clearing his throat and stepping away, but not before pressing a kiss to Yuri’s temple. “I’m going to go get that doctor now.” 

Yuri nodded, his eyes following Otabek as he left the room. He couldn’t help the giddy smile that spread on his lips or the small laugh that escaped him. In the end, he thought, biting his lip to try and contain his stupidly happy smile, maybe this case wasn’t so bad. 

“Hello, Yuri. Glad to see you’re finally awake. How are you feeling?” The doctor asked as she stepped into the room, drawing his attention, but not removing the small smile that continued to tug at the corner of his lips. 

Yuri opened his mouth to respond, but was distracted by the television in the corner of the room. 

“ _ That's impressive. I can see why you two are so close, you're almost two halves of a whole story. I am curious, though; doesn't it ever get dangerous? I know you had said you know warding magic, but that's only Yuuri,” _ Viktor asked, and the camera moves to focus on him, with Yuri just a bit behind him, before turning its attention back to Yuuri, who would continue the interview for a little longer. Then, Phichit would motion for Emil to cut, and Yuuri would tell them off camera about Leo, Guang-Hong, and Otabek, and later that day all hell would break loose for 3 more days.

“I think I’m good,” Yuri smiled, glancing briefly at Otabek who looked knowingly between the television and Yuri. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovely, amazing, wonderful patient readers! A funny thing happened that may or may not influence how quickly I do this second arc business: so, my sister’s been trying to get sent to bootcamp for the marines for like a year now right?? and so they finally worked everything they needed to out and sent her, which is cool for her or whatever, but that ALSO means that i would have to be responsible for our bills, and she only left $800 to help pay for them because she sucks, so! I got a second job and i now have two jobs which means I have less free time, but I’ll do my best to post the first chapter of the next arc by maybe new year’s! ANYWAY, that’s the end of this fic, but not this au, i promise!! I hope you guys liked it!! Thank you so much for reading, and leaving your kudos, and subscribing, and commenting, and everything really!! HAPPY HOLIDAYS !!

**Author's Note:**

> Let it be known that I get all my information from the Ghost Hunt manga/anime, the glossary for psi, and google.
> 
> Clairvoyant- Clairvoyance is the alleged ability to gain information about an object, person, location, or physical event through extrasensory perception. Any person who is claimed to have some such ability is said accordingly to be a clairvoyant. (**NOT precognition)
> 
> Criteria for a poltergeist- E. Tisane's criteria for poltergeist activity is 1.Shaking objects 2.opening and closing doors 3.making disembodied noises 4. Disembodied knocking 5 . glass breaking 6.heating of objects 7.possession 8.shying to outsiders, but escalating with familiarity 9 . physical harm (I personally don't know what's up with this, I tried to look it up to make sure the information was right, but could find near nothing. I don't even know if it's a real thing, but lucky for me it's based on a manga au so it doesn't have to be :D?)
> 
> Extrasensory Perception- perception (as in telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition) that involves awareness of information about events external to the self not gained through the senses and not deducible from previous experience — called also ESP
> 
> Medium- a person in contact with the spirits of the dead and that can communicate between the dead and the living.
> 
> 9 cuts- used by shinto practitioners, the nine symbolic represent concepts integral to channeling your body energy/chi, with gestures accompanying each. They roughly stand for physical and mental strength, channeling energy, harmony with the universe, healing, sensing danger, empathy, awareness, control of nature, and enlightenment. They can be useful for warding off spirits and demons.
> 
> Onmyodo/onmyoji- Onmyoji are a special group of Japanese diviners who base their arts on Chinese traditions. Yin and Yang duality, as well as the five chinese elements (wood, earth, water, fire, and metal) are key to their philosophies. The way of onmyo was initially brought to Japan from China. (There's a little more to it, but whatever you need to know will be explained later in the story.)
> 
> Parapsychology- the study of mental phenomena that are excluded from or inexplicable by orthodox scientific psychology (such as hypnosis, telepathy, etc)
> 
> Pk:  
> Lt (Bio-PK)- Term used to refer to psychokinetic effects brought about on living systems (ability to influence a living thing); examples of such effects would be the paranormal speeding up or slowing down of the sprouting of seeds or of the growth of bacteria, the resuscitation of anæsthetized mice, curing illness with a touch, etc; may also include influence over someone's emotions; symbolized “PK-LT”
> 
> Mt- ability to influence a moving object (influencing the outcome of a dice)
> 
> St- ability to influence a static object (levitating an object)
> 
> Psychometry- refers to the practice in which sensitives hold an object in their hands and obtain paranormal information about the object or its owner;
> 
> Precognition- A form of extrasensory perception in which the target is some future event that cannot be deduced from normally known data in the present.
> 
> Retro-cognition- refers to a form of extrasensory perception in which the target is some past event which could not have been learned or inferred by normal means
> 
> So.. That's the first chapter! Let me know what you think! Thank you for reading :D. 
> 
> (I dont expect this to be too long? I mean it's only meant to be one arc, but I might add more arcs depending on if I can think of any more ._.)


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